By Bernhard Kirschner
The federal election is on February 23, 2025. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier set this date because the current federal government no longer has a majority. The regular date would not have been until September.
Who is allowed to vote?
Anyone who is a German citizen and has reached the age of 18 on election day is entitled to vote. They must have been resident in the Federal Republic for at least three months and must not be disqualified from voting. In principle, all citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany have the right to vote, regardless of gender, income, religious denomination, occupation or political persuasion.
Free and secret ballot
Citizens may not be influenced or put under pressure in their decision. The principle of freedom of choice ensures that the will can be expressed unadulterated. This includes the right not to vote.
The election is secret. The state must ensure this. Votes are therefore cast in polling booths that cannot be seen from the outside. The completed ballot papers are folded and thrown into the ballot boxes.
Direct election
You have two votes on one ballot paper. The first vote, which you cast on the left-hand side of the ballot paper, directly elects the member of parliament for the constituency. The second vote is for a party. It determines how strongly the party will be represented in the Bundestag.
Germany is divided into 299 constituencies, which in turn are subdivided into polling districts. In principle, no more than 2,500 eligible voters should form a polling district. For example, the constituency of Tübingen also includes some municipalities in the Zollernalb district.
Polling card
To be able to vote, you must be registered on the electoral roll. The municipal authority maintains a separate electoral roll for each electoral district, in which the persons entitled to vote are entered. If you have more than one residence in Germany, you are registered at your main residence. You must receive your voter’s notification at least three weeks before the election. It also states at which polling station you can vote or where you can apply for a postal vote. If you have not received a voter notification, you should report to the relevant town hall. On election day, you should take your voter notification and ID with you to the polling station if possible. The polling station is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Option for Germans living abroad
As a rule, Germans who are not registered in Germany, known as Germans abroad, are also allowed to vote. If they wish to take part in the Bundestag election, they must submit a written application to be entered in the electoral roll of the relevant municipality.
Further links:
Bundestag | Wahlrechtsgrundsaetze
Wikipedia | Bundestagswahlrecht
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