Next German federal election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Next German federal election

← 2017 On or before 24 October 2021
All 598 seats in the Bundestag (plus overhang and leveling seats) 300+ seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Leader TBD Norbert Walter-Borjans Saskia Esken Jörg Meuthen Tino Chrupalla Party CDU/CSU SPD Alternative for Germany Leader since 2020 30 November 2019 30 November 2019 Leader's seat – – Baden-Württemberg (list) – Görlitz Last election 246 seats, 32.9% 153 seats, 20.5% 94 seats, 12.6%   Leader Christian Lindner Katja Kipping Bernd Riexinger Annalena Baerbock Robert Habeck Party FDP The Left Alliance 90/The Greens Leader since 7 December 2013 2 June 2012 27 January 2018 Leader's seat North Rhine-Westphalia (list) Saxony (list) Baden-Württemberg (list) Brandenburg (list) – Last election 80 seats, 10.7% 69 seats, 9.2% 67 seats, 8.9%
Incumbent Chancellor Angela Merkel CDU/CSU

Germany is getting ready for its next big federal election! This important vote will happen on or before 24 October 2021. In this election, people will choose who represents them in the Bundestag. The Bundestag is like Germany's parliament, where laws are made.

Germany's Next Big Election

This election is a really important event for Germany. It will decide who leads the country next. The current leader, Angela Merkel, who has been the Chancellor for a long time, announced that she will not run again. This means Germany will have a new Chancellor after the election.

Who Are the Main Parties?

In Germany, many political parties compete in elections. The ones listed here are the major parties. They received a lot of votes in the last election and are expected to win seats again. Each party has different ideas about how to run the country.

• Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) / Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU): These two parties work together. They are generally more traditional and support policies that keep things stable. They are also strong supporters of the European Union. Their leader is still to be decided.

• Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD): This party focuses on social fairness and helping all people. They believe in a strong social safety net and also support the European Union. Their leaders are Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken.

• Alternative for Germany (AfD): This party focuses on national interests. They are generally against the European Union and have strong views on immigration. Their leaders are Jörg Meuthen and Tino Chrupalla.

• Free Democratic Party (FDP): This party believes in individual freedom and a strong economy. They think that businesses should have more freedom and that taxes should be lower. They also support the European Union. Their leader is Christian Lindner.

• The Left: This party is a democratic socialist party. They want to see more equality and support for workers. They believe the government should play a bigger role in the economy. Their leaders are Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger.

• Alliance '90/The Greens: This party focuses on protecting the environment and fighting climate change. They also support social justice and the European Union. Their leaders are Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck.

• 

  TBD
  (CDU/CSU)
  from TBD

• 

  Norbert Walter-Borjans
  and
  Saskia Esken
  (SPD)
  from Baden-Württemberg

• 

  Jörg Meuthen
  (AfD)
  from Brandenburg

• 

  Tino Chrupalla
  (AfD)
  from Saxony

• 

  Christian Lindner
  (FDP)
  from North Rhine-Westphalia

• 

  Katja Kipping
  and
  Bernd Riexinger
  (Left)
  from Saxony
  and
  Baden-Württemberg

• 

  Annalena Baerbock
  (Green)
  from Brandenburg

• 

  Robert Habeck
  (Green)
  from Brandenburg

Other Parties to Know

Besides the main parties, there are also smaller parties that received some votes in the last election. They might not win many seats, but their ideas are still part of the political discussion.

• Pirate Party Germany: This party cares a lot about people's privacy and rights online. They also want to change laws about sharing information and make the government more open.
• Free Voters: This group is not a traditional political party. They often attract voters who prefer more traditional ideas, especially in southern Germany.
• Die PARTEI: This party is known for being satirical and using humor in politics. They often make fun of serious political issues.
• Human Environment Animal Protection: This party focuses on protecting the environment and ensuring animals have rights.

What Are Opinion Polls?

Opinion polls are like surveys that ask people who they plan to vote for. They help us understand what the public is thinking before an election. The image below shows the average results from different opinion polls over time. This helps experts guess which parties might win the most votes.

Average results from opinion polls for the 20th Bundestag election.