| Parliament name |
- |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Deutscher Bundestag / German Bundestag |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Bundesrat / Federal Council
|
| LEGAL FRAMEWORK |
| Electoral Law |
8 October 1990
Last amendment: 17.03.2008 |
| Mode of designation |
Directly elected 598
Other 24 |
| Constituencies |
- 299 single-member constituencies
- 16 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the Länder (component states of the federation) |
| Voting system |
Mixed:
299 members are elected under the majority (first-past-the post) system and the remaining seats are filled through the proportional representation system using the party list.
- Each voter has 2 votes: 1 ("first vote") for an individual candidate in one of the constituencies (majority system), and 1 ("second vote") for the party list in the Länder.
- Under the majority system, the candidate having received the highest number of first votes in each constituency is declared elected.
Seats under the proportional representation system are distributed according to the Sainte-Laguë/Schepers method. Parties which won at least 5 per cent of the second votes cast nationwide or those which won at least three seats under the majority system are entitled to win seats under the proportional representation system.
- If a party wins more seats in the majority system (the first vote) than it is entitled to by the results of the proportional representation system (second vote), it can keep the additional seats, called "overhang seats" (Überhangmandate).
- Vacant seats attributed to a political party are filled by the "next-in-line" candidate of the same party (even seats vacated by members elected through the proportional system). Vacant overhang seats are not filled. Vacant seats held by independents are filled through a special election in that constituency.
- Voting is not compulsory. |
| Voter requirements |
- age: 18 years
- German citizenship
- residence in the country for at least 3 months
- under certain circumstances, German nationals who have not yet been resident in the country for 3 months or who live outside the country may vote. This applies, for example, to persons who: left the country less than 25 years ago; live outside Germany working as civil servants, soldiers or civil service employees by order of their supreme authority; reside in other EU Member States.
- disqualifications: guardianship, mental deficiency or illness |
| CANDIDATES |
| Eligibility |
- Qualified electors
- age: 18 years
- German citizenship |
| Incompatibilities |
- ministerial post in a federal state
- member of Federal Audit Office
- judge
- member of Bundesrat
- Civil servants
- members of the office of the Federal President |
| Candidacy requirements |
- candidatures for constituencies or for Land party lists
- candidatures for constituencies may be presented by a political party or by individuals
- candidacy for constituencies must be submitted by political parties if the party does not have at least 5 seats in the Bundestag or in the legislature of a given Land (a party which has not been continuously represented in the Bundestag or in the legislature of a given Land by at least 5 members may only submit a nomination as a party if it has announced its intended participation in the election to the Federal Returning Officer at least 75 days prior to the election)
- in case candidatures for constituencies are presented by individuals, candidacy must be supported by at least 200 electors of the same constituency
- candidatures for Land party lists may be presented by any political party. If the party does not have at least 5 seats, in the Bundestag or in a Land legislature, the support of at least one per 1000 eligible voters of the Land concerned is required. In each Land, each party may present only one list. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module
