Erststimme

Erststimme is the first vote cast in German federal elections as part of the country’s mixed-member proportional representation system. In each of the 299 electoral constituencies, voters choose a direct candidate with the Erststimme. The candidate who receives the most votes in a constituency earns a direct mandate (Direktmandat) and secures a seat in the Bundestag, regardless of the party’s overall vote share.

The second vote, the Zweitstimme, is cast for a party list and determines the party’s overall share of seats in the Bundestag. Seats are allocated to reflect the proportion of Zweitstimmen that each party receives, and the final composition is adjusted through overhang mandates (which occur when a party wins more direct seats than its Zweitstimme proportion would entitle it to) and leveling mandates to restore proportionality.

Thus, the Erststimme directly influences which individuals win constituency seats, while the Zweitstimme shapes the total party representation in the Bundestag. A candidate can win a direct seat with a strong personal vote even if the party’s overall support is limited, and conversely a party with broad second-vote support may win most of its seats via party lists rather than direct mandates.

For a party to gain representation in the Bundestag, it generally must achieve at least 5% of the Zweitstimme or win at least three direct mandates; this threshold can be bypassed if the party secures a sufficient number of direct mandates under the electoral rules.