Introduction
Parliamentary elections in Germany form the cornerstone of the country’s democratic system.
Through these elections, citizens are given the right to choose their representatives in the federal parliament, the Bundestag, which in turn forms the German government and has a direct impact on both domestic and foreign policy.
But how does the parliamentary election system work? How are elections organised? And who is entitled to vote?
In this article, we provide a detailed yet accessible explanation of everything you need to know about parliamentary elections in Germany.
The Bundestag is the German federal parliament. Its members are elected directly by the people.
It exercises legislative and supervisory powers, and its main tasks include:
passing laws,
electing the Federal Chancellor (head of government),
overseeing the work of the federal government,
approving the federal budget.
The term of office of the Bundestag is four years. Elections are held after this period expires, or earlier in exceptional cases such as the dissolution of parliament.
Under German law, the right to vote in parliamentary elections is granted to anyone who:
holds German citizenship,
is at least 18 years old on election day,
has been resident in Germany for at least three months,
has not been deprived of political rights by a court decision.
Each eligible voter receives an official voting notification by post, confirming their right to vote and indicating the polling station where they can cast their ballot.
Germany uses a mixed electoral system, combining elements of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. Each voter has two votes:
The first vote is used to elect a direct candidate in the voter’s local constituency (there are 299 constituencies in total).
The candidate who receives the most votes in the constituency wins a direct seat in the Bundestag.
This part of the system resembles the “first past the post” principle.
The second vote is used to choose a political party.
It is the more important vote, because it determines the overall share of seats each party receives in the Bundestag.
The remaining seats (from at least 598 in total) are allocated to the parties in proportion to their share of second votes.
This balance ensures fair proportional representation of parties, while maintaining a direct local link between voters and their MPs.
The basic legal size of the Bundestag is 598 seats:
299 seats are filled by directly elected members (first vote),
299 seats are allocated proportionally according to the second vote.
However, this number often increases due to:
Overhang seats (Überhangmandate):
When a party wins more direct seats than it would be entitled to based on its share of second votes.
Compensatory seats (Ausgleichsmandate):
Additional seats for other parties to restore overall proportionality.
As a result, the actual number of members of the Bundestag can rise to over 700 MPs.
Any political party that fulfils the formal registration requirements may stand in the election.
In practice, several major parties regularly participate, including:
CDU/CSU – Christian Democratic Union / Christian Social Union,
SPD – Social Democratic Party of Germany,
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen – The Greens,
FDP – Free Democratic Party,
AfD – Alternative for Germany (right-wing populist),
Die Linke – The Left Party.
A party can only enter the Bundestag if it:
receives at least 5% of second votes nationwide,
or
wins at least three direct constituency seats.
This is known as the 5% threshold, designed to prevent excessive fragmentation of parliament.
Once the election is over, the newly elected Bundestag convenes and the process of forming a government begins.
Since it is rare for one party to gain an absolute majority:
Parties negotiate to form a coalition government.
They agree on a common coalition programme.
The Federal President proposes a candidate for the office of Federal Chancellor – usually from the strongest party within the coalition.
The Bundestag elects the Chancellor by an absolute majority.
The Chancellor then appoints the federal ministers and forms the government.
Recent examples of coalition models include:
the Grand Coalition (CDU/CSU + SPD),
the traffic light coalition (SPD, FDP, Greens).
Yes. Germany allows postal voting (Briefwahl).
Any eligible voter who cannot or does not wish to vote in person at the polling station may vote by post.
Postal voting documents can be requested by mail or, in many cases, online.
The ballot papers are sent out before election day and must be returned by a specified deadline.
Postal voting in Germany is considered simple, secure and reliable, and its use has increased over time, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parliamentary elections are not just a mechanism to choose a government, but also:
a direct expression of the will of the people,
an instrument to hold parties accountable for their programmes and performance,
a key mechanism to ensure the peaceful and orderly transfer of power,
a central pillar of Germany’s constitution and democratic system.
Parliamentary elections in Germany are among the most carefully organised and transparent electoral processes in the world and are often cited as a model of fairness and integrity.
Through a dual voting system that gives citizens influence both at the local constituency level and at the party level, Germany seeks to guarantee fair and balanced representation that reflects the diversity of social views and strengthens long-term political stability.
* The writing and editorial team of the website strives to provide accurate information based on extensive research and consultation of multiple sources. However, errors may still occur or information may be included that is not yet fully confirmed. Therefore, the information in this article should be regarded as an initial, non-binding point of reference. For final and legally binding information, please always consult the competent authorities.
