How Does the Bundestag Election Work in Germany?

Every four years, Germany holds a federal election. Millions of people vote. The result decides who sits in parliament. Parliament then decides who leads the country. If you want to become a German citizen, you need to understand this process. It is also part of the naturalization test.

This guide explains the Bundestagswahl — step by step.

What Is the Bundestag?

The Bundestag is Germany's federal parliament. It sits in Berlin, in the Reichstag building. The Bundestag has at least 630 members. These members are called Abgeordnete (Members of Parliament).

The Bundestag has two main jobs:

• It passes laws.
• It elects the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler).

Germany's constitution is called the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). It sets the rules for elections. Article 38 of the Grundgesetz says: all German citizens aged 18 or older can vote. Voting is free, equal, and secret.

How Often Are Elections Held?

Federal elections take place every four years. The last election was in February 2025. The next one will be in 2029.

Sometimes an early election takes place. This happens when the government loses a vote of confidence (Vertrauensfrage) in parliament.

Germany's Two-Vote System

When you vote, you receive one ballot paper. On it, you have two separate votes. This system is called personalisiertes Verhältniswahlrecht — a personalised form of proportional representation.

The First Vote: Erststimme

Your first vote is for a person. You choose a direct candidate in your local election district (Wahlkreis). Germany has 299 Wahlkreise. The candidate with the most first votes in a district wins a direct seat (Direktmandat). There is no minimum percentage needed — the most votes wins.

The Second Vote: Zweitstimme

Your second vote is for a political party. This is the more important vote. It determines how many total seats each party receives in the Bundestag.

The rule is straightforward: the more second votes a party gets, the more seats it receives in parliament. If a party gets 30% of all second votes, it gets roughly 30% of the seats.

The 5% Threshold

Not every party enters the Bundestag. There is a minimum rule called the Fünf-Prozent-Hürde (five percent threshold). A party must receive at least 5% of all second votes to enter parliament.

This rule exists for a reason. It keeps parliament from becoming too fragmented. It makes forming a stable government easier.

There is one exception: a party can still enter the Bundestag if it wins at least three direct seats — even with less than 5% of second votes.

How a Government Is Formed

After the election, the new Bundestag comes together. The parties with seats begin negotiations. Usually, no single party wins more than 50% of seats. So two or more parties form a Koalition (coalition). They agree on a joint programme. Then they vote for a Chancellor.

The Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancellor) leads the German government. He or she sets the direction of policy. This power is defined in Article 65 of the Grundgesetz.

The current Federal Chancellor is Friedrich Merz. He is the leader of the CDU (Christlich Demokratische Union). He became Chancellor in 2025.

Your Rights as a Voter

Germany's Grundgesetz protects many fundamental rights. These rights matter both in elections and in daily life.

Meinungsfreiheit (freedom of opinion and expression) is guaranteed by Article 5 of the Grundgesetz. In Germany, you can openly criticise the government. You can protest, write, and speak your views. Nobody can punish you for expressing a political opinion.

Another right protected by the Grundgesetz is religious freedom. For example, parents can decide — until their child turns 14 — whether the child takes part in religious education at school.

These rights form the foundation of German democracy. They make free and fair elections possible.

Key Facts at a Glance

Topic	Key Fact
Germany's constitution	Grundgesetz
Voting age	18 years
Number of votes	2 (Erststimme + Zweitstimme)
More important vote	Zweitstimme (decides seat numbers)
Party entry threshold	5% of Zweitstimmen
Current Chancellor	Friedrich Merz (CDU)
Legal basis	Grundgesetz, Art. 38

These BAMF Questions Are About This Topic

The Bundestagswahl is a central topic in the Einbürgerungstest. These questions from the official BAMF pool are directly related:

• Question 11: Germany's constitution is called the Grundgesetz.
• Question 72: The current Federal Chancellor is Friedrich Merz.
• Question 93: The more Zweitstimmen a party receives, the more seats it gets in parliament.
• Question 1: In Germany, people can openly speak against the government because freedom of expression (Meinungsfreiheit) applies here.
• Question 2: Parents can decide until their child is 14 whether the child takes part in religious education at school.

Are you ready for the test? Practice all 460 questions with explanations in your language at einbuergerungscheck.de/trainer.

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Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. It is not legal advice.