Germany Prepares for February's Early Bundestag Election with New Rules and Tight Deadlines
The 2025 Bundestag election, brought forward due to a coalition collapse, features changes to voting procedures, a smaller parliament, and new party entrants.
- The Bundestag election will take place on February 23, 2025, following the collapse of the previous coalition government, leading to a shortened preparation timeline.
- Voters can participate in-person or via mail-in ballots, but tighter deadlines mean that mail-in voting must be requested and submitted earlier than in previous elections.
- The 2025 election will see a reformed Bundestag with a reduced number of seats (630 total), eliminating overhang and compensation mandates to streamline representation.
- A total of 24 parties in Bavaria and varying numbers in other states have submitted lists for participation, including both established parties and smaller or newly formed groups such as the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW).
- The Landeswahlausschüsse will finalize party and candidate approvals by January 24, allowing ballots to be printed and distributed starting in early February.
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