Germany: Opinion poll by GMS on 01/05/2026

Elections to the German Bundestag follow the principles of personalized proportional representation. Voters cast two votes: the first vote determines the directly elected representative in a constituency, while the second vote largely determines each party’s strength in parliament. Since the 2023 electoral reform, the size of the Bundestag has been fixed at 630 members. A special feature is that direct mandates are now only allocated if they are covered by the party’s second-vote result. This prevents the creation of overhang and compensatory seats and ensures a transparent allocation of seats.

To enter the Bundestag, parties in Germany must clear the five-percent threshold. A party must receive at least 5% of valid second votes nationwide to be included in seat allocation. An important exception is the so-called basic mandate clause: if a party wins at least three direct mandates, it enters parliament in proportion to its second-vote result even if it fails to reach the 5% threshold. This rule ensures parliamentary representation for parties with strong regional roots and was reaffirmed in its core by Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court in 2024.

Government formation in Germany is traditionally shaped by the search for stable coalition majorities, as a single party rarely wins an absolute majority of seats. After the election, exploratory talks and formal coalition negotiations take place, usually resulting in a coalition agreement. A defining feature of the current political landscape is the “firewall” principle: established centrist parties categorically rule out coalitions with forces on the far right (especially the AfD). As a result, three-party alliances such as the “Jamaica” or “Kenya” coalitions are often required to form a governing majority beyond the political extremes.

This overview shows all parties that, based on current polling, have a realistic chance of entering parliament in Germany or significantly shape the political debate. Classifying their political orientation is essential for understanding bloc formation and the mathematically possible majorities in the next parliament.