Germans are voting in a national parliamentary election on Sunday that’s widely expected to shift the country’s political balance to the right.
The final results won’t be known until late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning. After that, the parties will get to work forming Germany’s next coalition government.
Here’s a rundown on how the process works, and what happens after all votes are counted.
Post-election bustle
February 24: The day after the election, the leadership bodies of all parties will be analysing the election results. For those who lost, this is the appropriate time to announce resignations, if they have not done so already.
February 25: On Tuesday, most parliamentary groups in the Bundestag – the lower house of parliament – will convene, likely including both newly elected and outgoing members. Each parliamentary group will re-elect its leadership. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are set to reaffirm their parliamentary alliance.
Rapid coalition talks expected
Soon afterwards, exploratory talks on forming a new government will begin, followed by actual negotiations. It is hard to predict how long it will take to establish a new government, due in part to the parties’ different means of securing their members’ approval for a coalition agreement: A party conference is quicker, while a membership vote takes longer.
Meeting of the newly elected Bundestag
March 25: The newly elected Bundestag must convene by March 25 at the latest – the 30th day after the polls – as stipulated by Article 39 of the Basic Law. This is the only legally mandated deadline. The inaugural session kicks off the new legislative period. This session includes personnel decisions: Members of parliament elect the new president of the Bundestag and a deputy.
New and old government
April 20/21 (Easter): Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has repeatedly expressed hope that, in the event of an election victory, a government could be formed by Easter.
Until then, Germany would not be left without a government or unable to act. Under Article 69 of the Basic Law, the office of the chancellor and his ministers ends when the new Bundestag convenes. However, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will ask Chancellor Olaf Scholz to stay in office until a successor is appointed, something the chancellor is obliged to do under Article 69. The ministers will also remain in office in a caretaker capacity.
Citizens cast their votes at a polling station in a school in Pankow in the Bundestag election. Polls have opened across Germany, with millions of voters set to cast their ballots in one of the most pivotal parliamentary elections in recent memory. Joerg Carstensen/dpa
