So, what are the results?
Angela Merkel was the leader of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CSU) from 2000 to 2018 and has been the chancellor of Germany since 2005. She announced in 2018 she would not run for reelection in 2021, and the election took place this past Sunday.
On Sept. 26, 2021, German citizens put in their votes for parliament; however, they did not directly vote for Merkel’s successor. When Germans vote, their ballot only asks two questions: one for a district representative, and one for a party.
How does the German electoral system work?
The first vote, or “Erststimme”, is for the district representative. This vote is comparable to the U.S. midterm election. The voter selects his or her favorite candidate to represent their district in the parliament. The candidates are attempting to win one of Germany’s 299 constituencies, which is a fancy term for a seat in parliament, and there is one constituency for every 250,000 citizens. There are in total 598 seats in parliament, and the two votes are used to fill in the seats.
To fill the other half of parliament in Germany’s Bundestag (Germany’s Parliament), voters cast their ballots in the second vote or “Zweitstimme.” This vote goes to a political party instead of a single candidate, and it determines the percentage each political party gets in the Bundestag.
Citizens do not directly vote for their chancellor. A candidate is proposed by the federal president. The election is then held exclusively among the Members of the German Bundestag, who vote in a secret ballot without any prior debate. The candidate needs a full majority vote in parliament, which leads to a candidate from the majority party to take the position. Following his or her election, the candidate is appointed by the federal president and sworn in before the Bundestag. He or she is now able to propose his or her federal ministers.
Unlike the U.S., Germany has a plethora of political parties to choose from. The main 6 are Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CSU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), The Green Party, The Left party, The Alternative for Germany (AfD), and The Free Democratic Party (FDP). Independent candidates can also run if they gather at least 200 signatures from supporters.
What are the results of the election?
As it stands, the Social Democrats who reside in the moderate left, are the majority by a slim percentage.
| Parties | Seats won | Second vote % | Second vote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPD (Social Democrats) | 206 | 25.7% | 11,949,756 | |
| CDU/CSU (Christian Democrats) | 196 | 24.1% | 11,173,806 | |
| GRÜNE (Green) | 118 | 14.8% | 6,848,215 | |
| FDP (Free Democratic Party) | 92 | 11.5% | 5,316,698 | |
| AfD (Alternative for Germany) | 83 | 10.3% | 4,802,097 | |
| Die Linke (The Left Party) | 39 | 4.9% | 2,269,993 | |
| Other parties | 1 | 8.7% | 4,058,883 |
Merkel’s party came in second, with a shocking 24.1% of the vote. The SPD will officially be leading the charge, meaning SPD member, Olaf Scholz, will most likely be the next chancellor.
Scholz has been in politics for decades now, yet his most recent job has been the finance minister and vice-chancellor in Merkel’s administration. He earned a positive reputation as a reliable with finances during the pandemic. He was in charge of distributing billions of dollars in coronavirus relief and emergency aid to flood victims in western Germany this summer.
Astrid Kalz, one of the Timber Creek German teachers, was born and raised in Germany. She believes this change in the majority is a positive change for her home country.
“I think it’s kind of a good step in the right direction because they are hopefully going to be more focusing more on the environment,” said Kalz. “I think that it’s the end of an era for sure.”
For Germany, this is the beginning of a new chapter. The known christian right-leaning Merkel is out of office, and Scholz looks to take Germany in a new direction. As the voting base continues to become younger with each election, Germany is showing the youth has a voice.