Recommendation of the Federal Cabinet - Federal election should take place on September 28, 2025
The next Federal Election is scheduled to take place on September 28, 2025. The cabinet has made this recommendation. The final decision lies with the Federal President, who usually follows the recommendation of the Federal Government.
According to the Federal Election Law, the election day must always be a Sunday or a statutory holiday. The date is fixed. Pursuant to Article 39 Paragraph 1 of the Basic Law, the election must take place no earlier than 46 and no later than 48 months after the beginning of the legislative period.
There were debates about the date, especially in Berlin, as the Berlin Marathon was originally scheduled for September 28, 2025. The sports event will now be postponed by one week to September 21.
In 2021, on the day of the marathon, there were the Bundestag election, the election for the Berlin House of Representatives, the elections for the district assemblies, and a popular vote on the expropriation of housing companies in Berlin.
The many road closures due to the marathon caused problems in many polling stations. Long queues formed. Some votes were cast after the actual voting time of 18.00 hours. In the end, the entire Berlin House of Representatives election and parts of the Bundestag election had to be repeated.
The Federal Government of Germany has recommended September 28, 2025, for the upcoming Federal Election, following the requirements set by the Federal Election Law. The Federal Parliament, located in Berlin, will convene on this day, making it mandatory for the Federal Parliament to conduct its proceedings on a Sunday or a statutory holiday. Despite concerns in Berlin due to the Berlin Marathon originally being scheduled for September 28, 2025, the Federal Cabinet has approved a one-week postponement to September 21, to ensure a smooth election process.
