Germany Prepares for Early 2025 Bundestag Election Under New Voting Rules

The February 23 election follows the collapse of the coalition government and introduces a reformed electoral system reducing the size of parliament.

The Bundestag election was moved to February 23, 2025, after the collapse of the SPD-Green-FDP coalition and the failure to form a new majority government.
This election marks the first use of the 2023 electoral reform, which eliminates overhang and compensation mandates, reducing the Bundestag from 733 to 630 seats.
Voters will elect representatives using a two-vote system, with the second vote determining each party's proportional representation in parliament.
Parties need at least 5% of second votes or three direct mandates to enter the Bundestag, as per the unchanged basic mandate rule.
Eight major parties are fielding candidates for the chancellorship, including Olaf Scholz (SPD), Friedrich Merz (CDU), Robert Habeck (Greens), and Alice Weidel (AfD).