Hesse Prepares for Bundestag Elections
Election Details
Hesse is set to participate in the upcoming German Bundestag elections on February 23rd. Polling stations will be open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Originally scheduled for September 28th, 2025, the election was moved up due to the collapse of the Ampel coalition government in Berlin in November 2024.
Eligibility and Voting Process
Approximately 4.3 million Hessian citizens are eligible to vote in 421 municipalities throughout the state. German citizens aged 18 and above can cast their ballots. Voters have two votes: one for a candidate in their local constituency and one for a party’s state list.
Wahllokale, often located in schools or community centers, will be indicated on the election notifications sent to eligible voters by their local authorities.
Previous Results and Campaign
In the 2021 Bundestag elections, the CDU obtained 22.8% of the votes in Hesse, followed by the SPD with 27.6%, the AfD with 8.8%, the FDP with 12.8%, the Greens with 15.8%, and the Linke with 4.3%.
The police have reported hundreds of campaign posters being torn down, defaced, or stolen during the election campaign. Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) has condemned such incidents, attributing them to "extreme groups on the right and left."
Increased Use of Mail-In Voting
Due to the shortened election timeframe, local officials have encouraged residents to prioritize in-person voting. However, mail-in voting has become increasingly popular since a 2008 change eliminated the requirement for special reasons, such as illness or travel.
The proportion of mail-in ballots reached 51% during the 2021 Bundestag elections in Hesse, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. While it has since declined to around 37% for the 2023 state elections and 2024 European Parliament elections, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Reduced Bundestag Size and Electoral Reform
The Bundestag, with 736 members, is the largest freely elected parliament in the world. Hessen currently contributes 51 deputies: 15 Social Democrats, 12 Christian Democrats, 9 Greens, 7 Free Democrats, 5 AfD members, and 3 from the Linke.
However, electoral reform implemented for the upcoming elections will reduce the Bundestag to 630 members by eliminating overhang and compensatory seats. Under the previous system, parties could retain overhang seats won through direct mandates even if they exceeded their allocation based on the second vote. Compensatory seats were then awarded to other parties to balance representation.
Potential Impact on Hessian Representation
According to Deputy State Electoral Officer Jonas Fischer, the electoral reform is likely to result in fewer than 50 Hessian deputies in the Bundestag. Furthermore, certain constituency candidates may fail to secure seats despite receiving the most first votes in their districts, if their party exceeds its proportion of seats based on the second vote.
