Article 79 (3) of the Basic Law requires the fundamental involvement of the federal states in federal legislation. The impact of this provision on the introduction of direct democratic elements into the Basic Law is currently at the center of the discussion about direct democracy. The work examines all conceivable solutions to establish compatibility between democracy and federalism on this point. The focus is on the debate surrounding the federal quorum, which many favor as a solution based on the Swiss majority of states. It is shown that this neither meets the requirements of Article 79 (3) of the Basic Law nor aligns with the democratic majority rule. The author sees the only way to reconcile both the principles of democracy and federalism as excluding the federal states from referendums.