German Federal Election 2025: Key Dates and Elections

Important Dates

The schedule of elections in Germany includes:

• Federal Election: Every four years on the last Sunday of September
• State Elections: Every 4-5 years, depending on the state
• Municipal Elections: Every 5-6 years, depending on the municipality

Purpose of the Election

The primary purpose of the German Federal Election is to elect the members of the German Bundestag (parliament). The Bundestag, in turn, elects the Chancellor of Germany, who is the head of government.

Electoral System

Germany uses a mixed-member proportional representation electoral system, which combines elements of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation. In this system, voters have two votes:

• First vote: Cast for a candidate in a local constituency
• Second vote: Cast for a political party

The results of the two votes are combined to determine the overall distribution of seats in the Bundestag.

The 2025 Federal Election

The next German Federal Election is scheduled to be held on September 28, 2025. The current Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, will be seeking re-election.