The more 'second votes' a party receives in a Bundestag election, the...

1. fewer first votes it can have.
2. more direct candidates of the party enter parliament.
3. greater the risk of having to form a coalition.
4. more seats the party receives in parliament. ✓

In the German electoral system, the second vote is the most important because it determines the proportional percentage of seats a party gets in parliament. Remember: Your second vote is effectively your vote for the party itself!