How the Bundestag Election Works: Simple Guide

Why This Topic Matters for You

You see election posters everywhere in Germany. You hear words like "Erststimme" and "Zweitstimme" on the news. But nobody explains what they mean.

If you want German citizenship, you need to understand this topic. The naturalization test asks about it. And once you become a citizen, you can vote yourself.

This article explains the Bundestag election step by step. No complicated words. Just clear facts.

What Is the Bundestag?

The Bundestag is the German parliament. It is located in Berlin. Members of the Bundestag write and pass laws.

German citizens elect the Bundestag every four years. This election is called the "Bundestagswahl."

The Grundgesetz: Germany's Constitution

Germany's constitution is called the "Grundgesetz" (Basic Law). This is the answer to a real test question (Frage 11).

The Grundgesetz sets the rules for elections. Article 38 says elections must be general, direct, free, equal, and secret.

This means: everyone can vote, nobody can force your choice, and nobody can see who you voted for.

Two Votes: Erststimme and Zweitstimme

Here is the most confusing part for many people. In a Bundestagswahl, you don't cast one vote. You cast two votes.

First Vote (Erststimme)

The first vote is called "Erststimme." With this vote, you choose a person from your local area (Wahlkreis).

The candidate with the most votes in your Wahlkreis gets a direct seat in the Bundestag.

Second Vote (Zweitstimme)

The second vote is called "Zweitstimme." With this vote, you choose a political party.

This vote decides how many seats each party gets in total. The rule is simple: the more Zweitstimmen a party receives, the more seats it gets in parliament (§ 4 Bundeswahlgesetz).

This is exactly what the naturalization test asks in Frage 93. Remember this rule: more Zweitstimmen means more seats.

Example

Imagine Party A gets 30% of all Zweitstimmen nationwide. Then Party A gets roughly 30% of the seats in the Bundestag. Local election results don't change this calculation directly. Only the Zweitstimme decides the party's total strength.

Who Becomes Chancellor?

After the election, the Bundestag elects the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler or Bundeskanzlerin). This person leads the government.

The current Federal Chancellor of Germany is Friedrich Merz. This is also a real test question (Frage 72).

Usually, the party with the most seats tries to form a coalition. A coalition is an agreement between parties to govern together. Then the coalition partners agree on who becomes chancellor.

Democracy Means More Than Voting

Elections are one part of German democracy. But democracy also protects other rights.

Freedom of Speech

In Germany, people can openly criticize the government. This is possible because of "Meinungsfreiheit" (freedom of speech), protected in Article 5 of the Grundgesetz.

This is the answer to Frage 1 in the naturalization test. During election campaigns, you will see this right in action. Politicians and citizens debate openly, even on television.

Parents' Rights and Religious Education

Democracy also protects family decisions. Parents can decide until their child's 14th birthday whether the child attends religious education classes at school.

This right comes from Article 7, paragraph 2 of the Grundgesetz and from § 5 of the Gesetz über die religiöse Kindererziehung. After age 14, the child decides for themselves.

This connects to Frage 2 in the test. It shows that German democracy protects many kinds of freedom, not only voting rights.

Quick Summary

Term	Meaning
Bundestag	German parliament
Bundestagswahl	Election for the Bundestag, every 4 years
Erststimme	Vote for a local candidate
Zweitstimme	Vote for a party; decides total seats
Grundgesetz	Germany's constitution
Bundeskanzler/in	Head of government, elected by the Bundestag

Practice for the Naturalization Test

The questions in this article come directly from the official naturalization test (Einbürgerungstest). You will likely see similar questions about elections, the Grundgesetz, and basic rights.

Bist du bereit für den Test? Übe alle 460 Fragen mit Erklärungen in deiner Sprache.

Next Step

If you want to prepare seriously, check our practice trainer at /trainer. You can also compare plans on /pricing to find the right option for you.

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Dieser Artikel ist Information, keine Rechtsberatung.