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Election 2005

July 10, 2005

On Sept. 18, Germans will head to the polls -- one year ahead of schedule. Read about the bumpy road to elections, the issues and candidates involved in DW-WORLD's special dossier.

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Uncertain forecast aheadImage: AP

After his Social Democratic Party suffered defeat in state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia on May 22, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder announced he would call for early elections to put his reform course before voters.

The country's opposition Christian Democrats cheered the decision as they looked to the polls giving them a good chance of forming the next government under their leader, Angela Merkel. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first eastern German to serve as the country's head of government.

To read about the latest developments, the candidates and the key issues involved, click through the links below.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Political Parties: On the Campaign Trail

Even prior to the official start of the campaign, the main political parties were jockeying for a good position in the polls, fine-tuning their platforms and pulling out all the stops.
September 19, 2005

Election Issues: What's at Stake

This election the primary focus was on reducing unemployment, cutting taxes and reforming the social welfare state. Read about the key issues and what's at stake.
July 26, 2005

Election Explainer

How does the German voting system work? How did this year's election differ from previous ones? Read DW-WORLD's election explainer for all the answers.
July 21, 2005

The players

Who are the candidates and where did they come from?
PoliticsSeptember 19, 2005

The road to the chancellery

Angela Merkel elected Germany's next chancellor after weeks of discussions with future coalition partner the SPD.
PoliticsSeptember 19, 2005