Understanding the Mechanics of German Parliamentary Elections

Understanding Germany’s Electoral System

The German electoral system is often described as “personalized proportional representation,” where citizens have two votes: one for a candidate representing their constituency and the second for a party’s state list. This system ensures that each district is represented in parliament.

The Two-Part Voting Process

In Germany, voters cast two ballots:

• First vote: For a direct candidate running in the respective electoral district, which determines half of the parliament’s total composition.

• Second vote: For a party’s state list, usually listing between 10 and 30 candidates. This vote determines the strength of parties in the lower House of Parliament, the Bundestag.

The number of seats in parliament will be limited to 630 seats starting from 2025. A reform introduced in 2024 aimed to prevent the number of lawmakers from ballooning as party sizes shrink. However, this reform was partially overturned by the top court.

Eligible Voters and Voting Rights

Around 61 million out of Germany’s 83 million population are eligible to vote. These include:

• German nationals aged 18 and over

• German nationals who live abroad and meet certain requirements

• EU citizens living in Germany

Voters must be registered with the local electoral office and meet specific requirements to participate.

Electing a Chancellor

The candidate of the party gaining the most votes typically becomes the chancellor. However, this is unlikely to happen, as parties usually need to partner with one or more parties to build a coalition with enough votes to control the Bundestag.

Traditionally, the leading candidate of the junior coalition partner becomes foreign minister. The president appoints the ministers and their portfolios to the government.

The Chancellor Election Process

To become chancellor, an individual must:

1. Be at least 18 years old

2. Have a seat in the Bundestag (although not necessary)

3. Gain a majority of lawmakers’ votes

The Basic Law stipulates that the first session of the new Bundestag must take place within 30 days after the election.

Contesting Election Results

Every individual eligible to vote can contest the validity of the election, as well as groups of people eligible to vote. Objections must be made in writing to the election review commission within two months of election day.

The election review commission processes all submissions and provides written feedback to objectors. To invalidate the results of a Bundestag election, an objection must meet two requirements: there must be an electoral error that violates the Federal Election Act or the constitution, and the reported electoral error would have an impact on the distribution of seats in the Bundestag.

Under normal circumstances, elections happen again four years later.