Mon 23rd Dec, 2024

In anticipation of a potentially contentious election campaign for the Bundestag in 2025, six political parties in Germany have established a Fairness Agreement aimed at promoting respectful discourse and minimizing personal attacks during the campaign period. The parties involved in this agreement include the SPD, CDU, CSU, Greens, FDP, and the Left Party, while the AfD and BSW have opted not to participate.

The agreement comes in response to escalating tensions highlighted by recent heated exchanges regarding Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s leadership. Concerns arose over the potential for fierce confrontations during the upcoming campaign, particularly following statements made by Scholz and his CDU challenger, Friedrich Merz, which included derogatory remarks and accusations.

Under the terms of the Fairness Agreement, signatory parties have committed to avoiding personal insults and derogatory comments directed at one another, focusing instead on constructive debate. The agreement explicitly prohibits the dissemination of misinformation, affirming that parties will refrain from utilizing false information for campaign purposes, regardless of its origin.

Furthermore, the parties have vowed to maintain a peaceful atmosphere during the campaign, promising not to resort to violence against campaigners or damage competitors’ campaign materials. The protection of political posters and campaign sites is emphasized, with a clear directive against the destruction or alteration of such materials.

As part of their commitment to a fair election process, the parties have also agreed to ensure that their digital campaigning adheres to ethical standards. This includes a ban on the use of deepfake technology to misrepresent opponents’ statements and a requirement for clear identification of any content generated using artificial intelligence.

The Fairness Agreement seeks to foster an environment of accountability and transparency as parties gear up for the upcoming election. By eliminating the potential for misleading narratives and encouraging respectful competition, the signatories aim to uphold democratic principles throughout the electoral process.

As the political landscape evolves, the adherence to such agreements will play a critical role in shaping the tone and integrity of the election campaign leading up to the Bundestag elections.

Foreigners who naturalised as German last year had the chance to take advantage of their newly granted right to vote in the last national election in February.

But those who haven’t gained citizenship for any reason were left out – in total around 10 million foreign nationals were ineligible to vote at the time.

If voting in the next federal election is important to you, your only choice is to apply for German citizenship well ahead of the next federal vote – which is set for March of 2029.

That’s because Germany maintains some of the strictest rules around voting rights in Europe, matched only by Austria and France.

Here’s a look at voting regulations for foreign residents in Germany, and how they compare to European countries with more and less relaxed policies.

The rules for voting in Germany for foreigners

Only Germans can vote at either the federal or state level in the Bundesrepublik.

Generally non-German EU citizens can vote at the municipal and district level in Germany, while non-EU citizens have no voting rights at all. 

Unfortunately for those living in Berlin, Hamburg or Bremen, these cities are also federal states which means that EU citizens living here can really only vote in their local districts. In places like Cologne or Munich, meanwhile, people with EU passports can play a role in electing the city council.  

Other EU citizens can also vote in EU elections in Germany.

Non-EU foreign nationals have no right to vote in any official elections in Germany.

OPINION: In Germany’s snap elections, too many voices will yet again go unheard

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Austria has tighter restrictions 

Austria’s voting policy largely mirrors Germany’s – here too only Austrian citizens are able to vote in all elections, and foreign EU citizens are limited to municipal and district elections.

However, it’s also harder to gain citizenship in Austria than in Germany, especially since Germany passed its dual citizenship law last year, which reduced the requirements to naturalise.

In Vienna, for example, the combination of these voting regulations on top of tough requirements for citizenship has resulted in a whopping 600,000 foreign residents being unable to vote – more than a third of the city’s entire population. Critics of the related regulations have gone as far as suggesting the Austrian capital is a “half democracy”.

READ ALSO: Who would win the Vienna elections if foreigners were allowed to vote?

In comparison, Berlin has a lower proportion of foreign residents – at about 24 percent as of 2022. (Statista data from 2023 shows that the proportion of foreigners to Germans was similar.) And with record-breaking numbers of applications for citizenship reported since the rules were updated last year, a growing portion of those foreigners have gained the right to vote.

READ ALSO: ‘Always be vigilant’ – Expert tips for finding an apartment in Berlin

Sweden has better voting rights for non-nationals

Taking quite the opposite approach, Sweden allows all foreign nationals who have lived in the country for at least three years to vote at the municipal and regional levels (as opposed to only EU citizens as it is in Germany and Austria).

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Sweden is joined by other EU countries like Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and others in allowing third-country nationals to vote at this level.

The impact of these policies varies immensely from country to country or even city to city, because of the different proportions of foreign residents.

Federal parliamentary elections in Sweden, however, are limited to Swedish citizens over the age of 18, similar to many other countries. Basic requirements to apply for citizenship in Sweden are similar to those in Germany i.e. you need to live in the country for five years, have the right to residence and generally show that you’re a working, law-abiding resident.

EXPLAINED: Where in Europe can non-EU foreigners vote in local elections?