Electoral period - The Federal Returning Officer

Bundestag elections

The electoral period of the German Bundestag lasts four years. Article 39 paragraph 1 of the Basic Law stipulates that a new election be held no sooner than forty-six months and no later than forty-eight months after the beginning of each electoral period. If the Bundestag is dissolved prematurely, for instance when the Federal Chancellor loses a vote of confidence, a new election must be held within sixty days.

The electoral period ends with the first meeting of the new Bundestag (“constituent session”). That session has to take place within 30 days after election day.

Beginning and end of electoral periods
Electoral period	Constituent meeting of the Bundestag (1^st session)	End of electoral period
1^st	7 September 1949	7 September 1953
2^nd	6 October 1953	6 October 1957
3^rd	15 October 1957	15 October 1961
4^th	17 October 1961	17 October 1965
5^th	19 October 1965	19 October 1969
6^th	20 October 1969	13 December 1972 ¹
7^th	13 December 1972	14 December 1976
8^th	14 December 1976	4 November 1980
9^th	4 November 1980	29 March 1983 ²
10^th	29 March 1983	18 February 1987
11^th	18 February 1987	20 December 1990
12^th	20 December 1990	10 November 1994
13^th	10 November 1994	26 October 1998
14^th	26 October 1998	17 October 2002
15^th	17 October 2002	18 October 2005 ³
16^th	18 October 2005	27 October 2009
17^th	27 October 2009	22 October 2013
18^th	22 October 2013	24 October 2017
19^th	24 October 2017	26 October 2021
20^th	26 October 2021	25 March 2025 ⁴
21^st	25 March 2025

1 Order on Dissolution of the German Bundestag in its Sixth Legislative Term of 22 September 1972 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 1822).
2 Order on Dissolution of the German Bundestag in its Ninth Legislative Term of 6 January 1983 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 1). I S. 1)
3 Order on Dissolution of the German Bundestag in its Fifteenth Legislative Term of 21 July 2005 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 2169).
4 Order on Dissolution of the German Bundestag in its Twentieth Legislative Term of 27 December 2024 (Federal Law Gazette I, no. 434).

Legal bases

Article 39 paragraph 1 of the Basic Law (GG)

European Parliament elections

The members of the European Parliament are elected for a five-year period.

The current electoral period ends and the new electoral period begins with the opening of the first parliamentary session after the election. That session is held on the first Tuesday one month after the election.

Legal bases

Article 14 paragraph 3 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU)
Sections 5 (1), 11 of the Direct Elections Act