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Election Explainer

July 21, 2005

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.

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Image: AP

On the surface, the German electoral system is similar to that of most other Western countries. When Germans go to their polling stations -- often in schools or other public buildings on Sunday -- they select candidates for parliament from a multiple-choice ballot.

DW-WORLD's selection of background articles shows how the election system works, what past elections have shown and why this year's election was more complicated than previous ones.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Where German Politicans Fear to Tread

Historically speaking, Germany has tended to consider federal level grand coalitions to be a clumsy last resort option. Thus far, the country has only had one and it lasted just three years.
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The German constitutional court already examined the legitimacy of a parliamentary vote of confidence in 1983. DW-WORLD looks back to that court ruling and the implications it may have today.
July 22, 2005

Looking Back at the 2002 Election

The looming war in Iraq and devastating floods in eastern Germany helped Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Red-Green coalition government to secure a second term in office by a hair-thin margin in 2002.
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Contentious issues of the election in pictures.
July 22, 200510 images