Info
Boundary Delimitation
BD001
Delimitation of constituencies
Question: Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: The Constituency Commission has the task of reporting changes in the population figures in the electoral area and to show whether and which changes in the division of the electoral area into constituencies it considers necessary. In its report, it may also propose changes for other reasons.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 3 (3)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/15
BD003
Criteria for drawing boundaries
Question: On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):
a . "Equality" of population d . Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries
Comments: The following criteria apply for changes to delimitation of constituencies:
1. The Länder (state) boundaries shall be respected.
2. The population of a constituency should not deviate from the average population of the constituencies by more than 15 per cent in either direction ; where the deviation constitutes more than 25 per cent, a re-delimitation shall be made.
3. The number of constituencies in the respective Länder (state) should as far as possible correspond to the latter's share of the total population.
4. Each constituency should form a coherent area.
5. Wherever possible, the boundaries of municipalities, districts and towns independent of district administration should be respected.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 3 (1)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/15
BD005
Body responsible for drawing boundaries
Question: The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):
d . Boundary Commission
Comments: The Federal President shall appoint a permanent Constituency Delimitation Commission. It shall consist of the President of the Federal Statistical Office, a judge of the Federal Administrative Court, and five other members.
The report of the Constituency Delimitation Commission shall be rendered to the Federal Ministry of the Interior within fifteen months after the beginning of the legislative term of the Bundestag. The Federal Ministry of the Interior shall immediately forward it to the Bundestag and shall publish it in the Federal Official Bulletin. At the request of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Constituency Delimitation Commission shall render a supplementary report ; in this case the second sentence shall apply mutatis mutandis.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 3 (2 - 4)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/15
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
e . Elected by electoral college or committee
Comments: The Federal President is elected by the Federal Convention. The Federal Convention consists of the members of the House of Representatives (Bundestag) and an equal number of members elected by the parliaments of the States (Länder) according to the principles of proportional representation
Source: Constitution, Art. 54
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
c . Indirectly elected by legislature/chosen by parliament
Comments: The Head of Government (Federal Chancellor) is elected by the House of Representatives (Bundestag) upon the proposal of the President. The person obtaining the votes of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives (Bundestag) is elected. The person elected is appointed by the President.
Source: Constitution, Art. 63
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Art. 54 - 61
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
b . Two chambers
Comments: The legislature is divided into two chambers: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
Source: Constitution, Chapter III (The Bundestag) and IV (The Bundesrat)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
h . Mixed Member Proportional
Comments: The German Bundestag shall, subject to variations resulting from this Law, consist of 598 members. They shall be elected in a general, direct, free, equal and secret ballot by the Germans eligible to vote, in accordance with the principles of proportional representation combined with uninominal voting.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 1
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Constitution, Art 38
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
Legislative Framework
LF001
Status of Electoral Law
Question: What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Part of Constitution c . Decree
Comments: The Constitution contains certain clauses on elections(Art. 38 – 48), however separate elections legislation exists.
Source: Doreen Namislo, Bundeswahlleiter (Federal Returning Office)
Constitution of Germany, Art 38-48
Federal Elections Act, 1993
Verified: 2021/11/16
LF003
Electoral Law covers
Question: The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):
a . National elections
Comments: Members of the German Bundestag shall be elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. They shall be representatives of the whole people, not bound by orders or instructions, and responsible only to their conscience.
Details shall be regulated by a federal law
Source: Constitution, Ch.3, Art.38
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/16
LF004
Compulsory/voluntary voting
Question: Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):
a . Voting is voluntary
Comments: Members of the German Bundestag shall be elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. They shall be representatives of the whole people, not bound by orders or instructions, and responsible only to their conscience.
Source: Constitution, Ch.3, Art.38(1)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/16
LF007
Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)
Question: What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):
a . Judiciary d . Other
Comments: The electoral scrutiny is the responsibility of the parliament (German Bundestag). Complaints against decisions by the Bundestag may be brought to the Federal Constitutional Court.
Source: Constitution, Ch.3, Art.41 (1,2)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Federal Constitutional Court Act
http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/Gesetze/BVerfGG.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Constitutional%20Court%20may,for%20other%20constitutional%20court%20proceedings.&text=Applications%20for%20a%20decision%20pursuant,or%20by%20a%20Land%20government.
Verified: 2021/11/16
Electoral Management
EM002
Responsibility of national EMB
Question: Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):
a . National level
Comments:
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 18 (4)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM004
EMB budget determined by
Question: The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature
Comments: The Electoral Management Body reports to the Ministry of the Interior, the budget of which is regulated by the legislature.
Source: Hermann Glaab, Deputy Federal Returning Officer, Germany, bundeswahlleiter(a)destatis.de
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM005
EMB expenditures controlled by
Question: The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature
Comments: The Electoral Management Body reports to the Ministry of the Interior, the budget of which is regulated by the legislature.
Source: Hermann Glaab, Deputy Federal Returning Officer, Germany, bundeswahlleiter(a)destatis.de
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM006
Term of EMB members
Question: The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:
d . Other
Comments: The Federal Electoral Committee continues to exist after the general election but not beyond the end of the legislative term
Source: https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/service/glossar/b/bundeswahlausschuss.html#id-0
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM012
Electoral Management model
Question: What is the Electoral Management model?
Answer:
a . Governmental
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/electoral-management-design-revised-edition?lang=en)
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM013
Number of EMB members
Question: The EMB is composed of:
Answer:
b . 11 - 20 members (specify)
Comments: The Federal Electoral Committee is composed of the Federal Returning Officer as chairperson, eight Committee members and two judges of the Federal Administrative Court
Source: https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/service/glossar/b/bundeswahlausschuss.html#id-0
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM014
Membership based on
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected on the basis of their:
Answer:
e . No Information Available
Comments:
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 9 (1)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/12
EM015
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected by:
Answer(s):
i . Other
Comments: The Federal Returning Officer and his Deputy shall be appointed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior; the Land Returning Officers, Constituency Returning Officers and Electoral Officers and their Deputies shall be appointed by the Land Government or the agency designated by it.
Source: Federal Election Act, Section 9 (1)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/12
Voter Education
VE001
Information campaigns performed by
Question: Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):
a . National Electoral Management Body d . National Government
Comments: The EMB has a voting information section on its website that includes all relevant information related to voting such as dates, deadlines, how to vote etc.
Source: Der Bundeswahlleiter (Federal Returning Officer Website), http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/
Verified: 2025/03/06
VE002
Frequency of voter education programs
Question: At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:
a . Continuously
Comments: The EMB has a voting information section on its website that includes all relevant information related to voting such as dates, deadlines, how to vote etc.
Source: Der Bundeswahlleiter (Federal Returning Officer Website), http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/
Verified: 2025/03/06
VE003
National civic education
Question: Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):
b . Yes, conducted by the National Electoral Management Body e . Yes, conducted by the Government
Comments: The EMB has a voting information section on its website that includes all relevant information related to voting such as dates, deadlines, how to vote etc.
Source: Der Bundeswahlleiter (Federal Returning Officer Website), http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/
Verified: 2025/03/06
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
c . 18
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Art.38 (2)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
VR002
Other voting requirements
Question: Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Citizenship b . Period of Residence
Comments: Registration for voting requires an individual to have had a domicile or have otherwise been permanently resident for at least three months in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Sections 12-13
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
VR004
Authority responsible for voter registration
Question: Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:
c . Local Government Authority
Comments: The local authorities shall maintain a register of persons entitled to vote for each polling district. The voters' register shall be laid out on display for the general public on working days from the twentieth until the sixteenth day before the election.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 17 (1)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
VR008
Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question: Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: The local authority must include all eligible citizens on the voter registry, however it is not mandatory to vote.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Art. 17
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Federal Electoral Regulations, Art 14, 16
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/e146a529-fd3b-4131-9588-8242c283537a/bundeswahlordnung_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement)
Comments: A party which has not been continuously represented by at least five representatives in the Bundestag or in a Landtag (state parliament) since the last election on the basis of nominations made by the party itself may only submit a nomination as a party if it has announced its intended participation in the election to the Federal Returning Officer in writing not later than the ninetieth day before the election and has been recognized as a party by the Federal Electoral Committee. Such notification must include the name to be used by the party in the election. It must be personally signed by at least three members of the national executive committee, including the chairman or his deputy. If a party does not have a national executive committee, the management committee of the party's principle organization shall function in its place. The party's written statutes and written programme as well as proof that the executive committee has been duly appointed in accordance with the statutes shall accompany the notification.
Constituency nominations of parties must bear the personal and handwritten signatures of the members of the executive committee of the Land branch of the party or, where such Land branches do not exist, the personal and handwritten signatures of the members of the executive committee of the next lower regional branches in whose area the constituency lies. Constituency nominations of the parties specified in Section 18 subsection (2) above must in addition bear the personal and handwritten signatures of at least 200 persons eligible to vote in the constituency; they must be eligible to vote at the
time they sign the nomination and proof of this must be furnished when the nomination is submitted. The requirement to present 200 signatures shall not apply to constituency nominations of parties representing national minorities.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Ch.4, Art. 18 - 20
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship
Comments: A person shall be eligible to stand for election if, on election day, he or she
1. is German as defined in Article 116 paragraph (1) of the Basic Law and
2. has reached the age of eighteen years.
Article 116 Basic Law:
(1) Unless otherwise provided by a law, a German within the meaning of this Basic Law is a person
who possesses German citizenship or who has been admitted to the territory of the German Reich
within the boundaries of 31 December 1937 as a refugee or expellee of German ethnic origin or as the
spouse or descendant of such person.
(2) Former German citizens who, between 30 January 1933 and 8 May 1945, were deprived of their
citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds and their descendants shall, on application, have
their citizenship restored. They shall be deemed never to have been deprived of their citizenship if
they have established their domicile in Germany after 8 May 1945 and have not expressed a contrary
intention.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Art. 15
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Chapter 3, Art. 38 (2)
Constitution, Chapter 5, Art. 54 (2)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct c . Indirect
Comments: The parties shall receive funds as a contribution towards the funding of the duties generally incumbent upon them under the Basic Law. The allocation of state funds shall depend on the success a party achieves with the voters in European, Bundestag and Landtag elections, on the sum of its membership and deputy fees and on the amount of money it obtains from donations.
(2) The maximum total volume of state funds which may be paid to all parties each year
shall be 190 million euros (absolute upper limit).
(3) Under the state partial funding program, the parties shall each year receive:
1. 0.70 euro for each valid vote cast for its list or
2. 0.70 euro for each valid vote cast for a party in a constituency or polling district whose list
was not approved in a Land, and
3. 0.38 euro for each euro which it has obtained as bestowals (membership fee, deputy fee
or rightfully obtained donation); in this context, only bestowals up to 3,300 euros per natural
person shall be taken into account.
Notwithstanding Numbers 1 and 2 above, the parties shall receive 0.85 euro for every vote
they obtain up to four million valid votes.
Source: Act on Political Parties, Article 18
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/1aedeb82-9067-4321-acce-880ba22ddc28/parteiengesetz.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election e . Other
Comments: The parties shall receive funds as a contribution towards the funding of the duties generally incumbent upon them under the Basic Law. The allocation of state funds shall depend on the success a party achieves with the voters in European, Bundestag and Landtag elections, on the sum of its membership and deputy fees and on the amount of money it obtains from donations.
Source: Act on Political Parties, Article 18
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/1aedeb82-9067-4321-acce-880ba22ddc28/parteiengesetz.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Parties are entitled to accept donations. Donations can be given in cash up to the amount of 1,000 euros.
Source: Political Parties Act, Art. 25
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/1aedeb82-9067-4321-acce-880ba22ddc28/parteiengesetz.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/17
Vote Counting
VC004
Votes are sorted/counted at
Question: Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:
a . The polling stations
Comments: After polling has closed, the Electoral Board shall establish how many votes have been cast in the polling district for the individual constituency nominations and Land lists.
Source: Federal Elections Act, Section 37
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Federal Electoral Regulations, Art. 69
Verified: 2021/11/19
VC011
When are ballots recounted?
Question: Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):
d . By request
Comments: Two Board members designated by the Electoral Officer shall verify the calculation (of votes). If a member of the Electoral Board requests a recount of the votes prior to the signature of the election record, the procedure stipulated in subsections (1) to (6) above shall be repeated. The reasons for the recount shall be minuted in the election record.
Source: Federal Electoral Regulations Section 69 (7)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/e146a529-fd3b-4131-9588-8242c283537a/bundeswahlordnung_engl.pdf
Verified: 2021/11/19
Media and Elections
ME037
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
Question: What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):
i . Not applicable
Comments: Any political party taking part in elections for the German Bundestag shall, subject to cost reimbursement, be granted a reasonable amount of transmission time if at least one state list of candidates has been approved for that party. Furthermore, any party or other political association taking part in the election of candidates from the Federal Republic of Germany for the European Parliament is entitled to a reasonable amount of transmission time if at least one electoral list has been approved, subject to cost reimbursement.
Source: Interstate Broadcasting Agreement, Art. 42
https://germanlawarchive.iuscomp.org/?p=655#ToC51
Verified: 2025/03/11
ME059
Television debates
Question: Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):
b . Yes, in legislative elections
Comments: There are televised debates at the state level since 1997 and at the national level since 2002. During the campaign of the elections for the Bundestag 2002 a televised debate between the sitting Federal Chancellor and his challenger was conducted for the first time.
Source: Maier, J. and Jansen, C. 2015. When do candidates attack in election campaigns? Exploring the determinants of negative candidate messages in German televised debates. Party Politics (2015): 1354068815610966: http://ppq.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/10/13/1354068815610966.abstract (2017).
Anstead, N. 2015. Media Policy Brief 13. Televised Debates in Parliamentary Democracies (2017). LSE:http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/66293/1/Anstead_A_Different_Beast%201.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/11
ME062
Blackout period for release of opinion poll results.
Question: What is the blackout period, if any, during which results of pre-election opinion polls may not be released to the public?
Answer:
g . No information available
Comments: No legal regulations about such a blackout period.
Source:
Verified: 2025/03/11
ME080
Question: Is there a maximum amount that a political party is permitted to spend on paid advertising during a campaign period?
Answer:
b . No
Comments: There are no legal provisions pertaining to election campaign advertising. On principle, the possibility to advertise is protected by Article 5 (1) (freedom of the press), Article 5 (3) (freedom of arts) and Article 21 (party privilege) of the Basic Constitutional Law.
The Federal Returning Officer is not responsible for election campaign advertising and its legal assessment; he or she is committed to impartiality. It is the parties who are responsible for the content of their advertising.
There are limits to such advertising, however, where banned political parties advertise or where election campaign advertising is liable for punishment; it is subject to generally applicable laws.
Source: https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/service/glossar/w/wahlwerbung.html
Verified: 2025/03/11
Direct Democracy
DD002
Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Revisions of the existing division into Länder shall be effected by a federal law, which must be confirmed by referendum. The affected Länder shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard.
Source: Constitution, Art. 29(2)
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2025/03/11
DD003
Mandatory referendums (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Art. 29
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2021/11/29
DD004
Optional referendums (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2017/03/31
DD005
Citizens' Initiatives (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2017/03/31
DD006
Agenda Initiatives (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments: Agenda initiatives are only applicable to Regional and Local citizens initiatives.
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2017/03/31
DD007
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/German_Federal_Republic_2014?lang=en
Verified: 2017/03/31
DD129
Question: Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:
b . Sometimes binding
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Art. 29
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html
Verified: 2021/11/29
DD130
Question: Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:
c . Both constitutional and other issues
Comments: A new constitution and the reorganization of the federal territory (Constitution, Art. 29).
Source: Constitution, Art. 29
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html
Verified: 2021/11/29
DD131
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Regional and Local citizens initiatives and direct democracy provisions exist in the Constitution.
For instance, in each Land, county and municipality the people shall be represented by a body chosen in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections.
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution, Art. 28 (1)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html
Verified: 2021/11/29
Voting Operations
VO003
Electors vote at
Question: Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):
b . At any polling station in the same voting district f . By mail
Comments: With a voter's card a voter can vote at any polling station in the constituency.
Source: Federal Electoral Regulations, Art. 19
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/e146a529-fd3b-4131-9588-8242c283537a/bundeswahlordnung_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
VO004
Voting outside the country is permitted for
Question: Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):
b . Citizens residing outside the country c . Citizens outside the country (including those on vacation) d . Members of the armed forces e . Students f . Diplomatic staff
Comments: (2) Provided the other conditions are fulfilled, Germans as defined in Article 116 paragraph
(1) of the Basic Law who are resident in other territories outside the Federal Republic of Germany on the day of election shall also be eligible to vote provided that,
1. after reaching the age of fourteen years, they had a domicile or were otherwise permanently resident in the Federal Republic of Germany for an uninterrupted period of at least three months and this stay dates back not more than 25 years or
2. for other reasons, they have become familiar, personally and directly, with the political situation in the Federal Republic of Germany and are affected by it.
Source: Article 116 of the Basic Law (GG)
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.pdf
Sections 12, 13 of the Federal Elections Act (BWG)
https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/dam/jcr/4ff317c1-041f-4ba7-bbbf-1e5dc45097b3/bundeswahlgesetz_engl.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/06
VO005
Locations for voting outside of the country
Question: If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):
e . By mail
Comments:
Source: https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2021/informationen-waehler/deutsche-im-ausland.html#a76fef25-b68e-4fba-8874-427685556b2b
Verified: 2025/03/06
VO011
Voting method
Question: How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):
a . Manually marking of ballots d . Electronic voting machine g . Other
Comments: Postal Ballots are also accepted
Source: Federal Elections Act, Sections 30-36
Verified: 2025/03/06
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