Elections in Germany 2025

Last Updated on February 11, 2025

In a couple of weeks, there will be snap elections in Germany, as a result of the autumn collapse of the traffic light coalition. Usually I try to look at the programs from a distance, but this time the emotions around the elections are off the charts and the parties are not making the process any easier.

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And elections are also a great way to enrich your knowledge of German. Last time I picked up eierlegende Wollmilchsau – a charming untranslatable expression meaning all the goodies at once. This time I got acquainted with Wolkenkuckucksheim – which is roughly the same thing – dreams that can only be realized in a fairytale land.

Let’s take a first look at the programs of the main parties vying for the chancellorship or coalition. It must be said that this was clearly written in a hurry. The idea jumps like a mad squirrel around the tree. And if you consider that German texts are generally very scattered in different directions, reading the programs is quite difficult. However, it is immediately obvious which part was the most thought out – there are concrete proposals, and not long-winded reflections on how things should be.

Naturally, we, as migrants, are primarily interested in the migration issue. But also the question of how we will save the industry, which is falling apart thanks to previous efforts. Because if everything is ok with the economy, then no one will look for those closest to blame in the person of migrants. And I strongly recommend reading the entire menu of your favorite party, without focusing on migrants.

Please note that I am presenting the parties’ opinions of themselves, not the reality in which they exist. Their assessments of themselves may not coincide with reality, my assessment, or yours.

Comparison of parties

You can use Wahl-o-Mat, but remember that this program has its drawbacks. This time the questions reflect the parties’ positions worse than usual. The questions are sometimes poorly worded, and the parties answer in opposite ways, although their positions are not so different. Or you discover a completely different meaning when you read the party’s explanation of its answer. Some issues that are important to many, such as conscription, are not included in the questions. And I would have preferred a more detailed description of the economic problems, rather than another endless repeated question about how the AFD wants a national currency.

Linke (left)
Grüne (left eco)
SPD – Social Democrats (left center)
FW – Freie Wähler (center-eco with tendency to left and local politics)
BSW – party around Sarah Wagenknecht (left center with some right issues)
CDU – Christian Democrats (right center)
FDP – liberals (right)
AFD – Alternative for Germany (far right)

Environmental agenda

It is divided into three parts:

Part 1. General maintenance of climate targets, transition to renewable energy sources

Part 2. Financially significant issues for the population: bring back internal combustion engines and cancel the Heizunggesetz

Part 3. Local ecology: bicycle roads, ecosystem conservation, community ecology

Everyone for it.

Migration

Attract foreign specialists (make recruitment easier using a one-stop system)

Everyone is generally for it, but AFD and BSW express doubts that it would be necessary first to keep our own specialists.

Refugees are being turned away at the border

Don’t let refugees work

No to second citizenship

An extremely populist and hypocritical topic, since a very large number of German residents already have a second citizenship: late repatriates, citizens of countries that refuse to renounce citizenship (including countries such as Afghanistan and other problematic countries), citizens of countries where it is difficult to renounce citizenship (often Brazil, for example), citizens of EU countries.

Economy

The economic theme in Wahl-o-Mat is very poorly represented and does not allow for good comparison.

Global issues

1. Electricity. Everyone agrees that the issue of industry fleeing Germany is key and one of the main reasons for this is the cost of electricity. Everyone has different methods of solving it and it is difficult to separate real proposals from empty talk. In general, the majority is at least for lowering the electricity tax and infrastructure levies, and at most for their abolition.
Opinions differ on:
where to get money,
should energy-intensive enterprises be saved by direct injections of state money or by other methods?
and whether the government should finance the increase in renewable energy sources / do it differently than it does now, or leave it to the market (FDP) / abandon it altogether (AFD).

2. Where does the money come from? One of the central questions is whether to remove the limit on government borrowing (Schuldenbremse) or not.

Custom solutions:
Grüne– Investments and digitalization, tax premium for investments
SPD – investments, digitalization, international tax on billionaires and transactions, European solutions
CDU – investments in innovation
BSW – investments in innovation, reinvestments instead of dividends
AFD – remove the eco-agenda and everything will work out on its own

Small and medium enterprises and agriculture

Everyone agrees that small and medium-sized businesses are overburdened by bureaucracy and cannot cope with energy prices.
One comparable point is the supply chain law (Lieferkettengesetz), which requires businesses to check all their suppliers for environmental friendliness and integrity.

Supply Chain Law

Grüne: digitalization, access to renewable energy, Klimageld for vulnerable groups
SPD: digitalization, bonus Made in Deutschland
CDU: reduction of corporate tax, reduction of bureaucracy, reduction of European bureaucracy (domestic rules will take precedence)
AFD: remove green restrictions, lower corporate taxes

Supporting organic producers vs. Supporting all farmers and reducing bureaucratic burden

Social

Taxes

All parties want to reduce the level of taxation of workers, although they answer question 13 in Wahl-o-Mat differently. How big the reduction should be can be seen in the table here: https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Das-wollen-die-Parteien-bei-Buergergeld-und-Mindestlohn-aendern-article25517167.html (data in euros, not percentages from your taxes).

There are different proposed methods of reduction: basically, they want to shift the maximum taxation upward and raise the non-taxable base.

Bürgergeld

The brainchild that Ampel had toilingly born, most parties want to nip in the bud, although it has barely started to walk. The main complaint is that it is being handed out to everyone and too generously, if you take into account all the additional allowances for housing and children. I don’t know how true this is. So far, as far as I can see, it is not that easy to get and they don’t give that much.

Critics want:
– CDU, AFD: take away the benefit in full if the person refuses the job offer
– FW: separate the reasons for receiving benefits (invalids separately), purposefully select workers for vacant positions
– BSW: longer unemployment insurance for long-term workers, higher pensions, targeted recruitment of personnel from the unemployed
– FDP: make penalties for lack of initiative more severe

Elterngeld

Extend benefits to include fathers: SPD, Grüne
Increase: CDU

Minimum wage

Increase to 15 euros per hour: Grüne, SPD, Linke, BSW

The issue of the increase is decided by an independent commission: CDU, FW

Work time

Nobody wants a 35-hour work week except Linke.
CDU offers to work more and pay for it.

Retirement

Linke, BSW, FW want an earlier retirement after 40 years of work. The rest consider the existing rules sufficient (after 45 years of work – 2 years earlier).

No one is risking increasing the retirement age yet. As a solution to the personnel problem, they propose encouraging voluntary work of pensioners (facilitate the extension of contracts, do not tax earnings). A wonderful pension-like-a-job for old bosses.

Education

They don’t offer anything really clear (since it’s a land issue), but almost everyone is dissatisfied with the quality of education. CDU and AFD especially want to bring back the good old days.
Most parties want more money and more educators in kindergartens and quality basic education in primary schools.

BaFöG (preferential loan for higher education) needs to be reformed in everyone’s opinion. At the very least, increased.
Some parties want to make it independent of the parents’ income (which is logical, in my opinion, otherwise, if the child has conflicts with his parents, he may miss out on education altogether) – FDP, FW

Compulsory social year and military service

For the compulsory social year:
CDU
FW
BSW
AFD (only with Wehrpflicht)

For military service
CDU (partly)
АFD

Fundamental controversial issues

Against aid to Ukraine: AFD, Linke, BSW

Against wappen to Israel: Linke, BSW, AFD (partly)

Against women’s quotas in leading positions: AFD, FW

Criminal punishment for children under 14 years of age: AFD, FW, CDU (study the issue)

Limit the right to strike: FDP, FW, AFD, (CDU in question)

Remove abortions from Strafgesetz: Grüne, SPD, Linke, (FW – allow doctors to provide information)

Programs of the main parties

Grüne

At least half of the program is dedicated to further modernization towards renewable energy, clima and ecology. Innovation and digitalization will save the economy, Klimageld will save people from prices, and money will appear thanks to the cancelation of Schuldenbremse (i.e. the state will be able to borrow more money).

The first part of the program is dedicated to green agenda.

– protect nature and climate (renewable energy sources, waste recycling, refusal of fossil fuel extraction, electric transport, development of railways, bicycles)
– modernize industry, make it climate-neutral
– Europe as a flagship of green industry

We’ve already done some things, but a lot remains:
– reduce bureaucracy (more local decisions, digitalization)
– make major investments in renewable energy sources
– restructure electrical networks (repair, increase storage capacity)
– intact ecosystems are a protection for humans
– We will ensure that renters a tight budget get good insulation in the house and modern heating
– Electric transport will provide convenient and fast movement
– less waste
– 130 km/h limit on highways

Economy

We need:
– increasing private and public investment in innovation (Deutschlandfonds)
– development of innovative technologies (AI, microchips, quanta, robots, biotechnology, new space exploration, hydrogen)

We will provide:

– affordable and green energy. Safe and clean energy is a decisive factor for choosing a company location. Promoting self-sustainable energy production.

– simplified, digital government procedures for access to renewable energy

– investments from European and national funds. For this purpose, the Schuldenbremse reform.

– increase in private investment. For this purpose, a tax premium for investment.

Tourism development

Digitalization
– accelerated digitalization
– Deutschland-App on open-source for communication with the state (passport, etc.)
– development of AI
– improving the Internet
– digital justice. Protection at the level of online platforms (bring all sorts of Temu to a common rules).

Job protection and social

Germany lacks skilled workers. For this:
– financial support for Azubi to make Ausbildung more attractive
– support for pensioners who want to work longer
– support for people with disabilities to bring them back into the market as skilled workers
– access to the labor market for women: flexible hours, affordable daycare, full tax deduction for daycare costs

Protection of small and medium entrepreneurs:
– social security (pension etc.)
– smaller gap with professions with higher education
– protection from international competition

Minimum wage 15 euros per hour
Arbeitspauschale 1500 euros
More Elterngeld
Bürgergeld: take an individual approach to the reasons why a person receives benefits

Consumer protection
– for those who suffered from high energy prices with low income – a cash bonus from the tax collected on this (Klimageld)
– tenant protection (fixed price ceiling)

Equality
– exclude abortions from the criminal law (Strafgesetz)
– reduce barriers for people with disabilities
– protection of women from violence
– global tax on billionaires

Migration

Germany needs specialists from all over the world. For this:
– facilitate the submission of documents for a work visa (one window)
– communication in English
– simplification of recognition of foreign educational certificates
– facilitating access to the labor market for refugees

SPD

SPD has obviously talked to a certain number of ordinary people, because the problems are voiced more adequately. The party gets into social problems quite deeply. How they will be solved is voiced somewhat more vaguely. The very large number of references to European laws and plans in almost every subtopic is noteworthy, as if the program for European elections was adapted for local elections.

In keeping with the party’s name, the SPD starts with social policy.

– reduce the tax burden
– minimum wage 15 euros
– more workers on a tariff basis (give government contracts only to such firms)
– reduce the gender wage gap, including through legislation at the European level.

– accessible education (help for children of migrants, reform of BaFöG, accessible housing for students no more than 400 euros per month)
– affordable housing (the “young buy old” program)
– change the inheritance law so that big money is taxed more heavily
– 18 month of Elterngeld (fathers including)
– free lunches in schools and kindergartens

Elections from 16 years old
Freedom of movement for youth and Azubi (driving license bonus or travel card bonus, money for license from employer)

Take abortion out of the Strafgesetz
More clearly restrict the legalization of marijuana sales.

Partially introduce Wehrpflicht in a modern form and on a voluntary basis.

Economy

The party perceptively sees the current troubles in energy prices, which need to be lowered. Increase state assistance in rebuilding networks. Help energy-intensive industries that do not have the ability to modernize (chemistry, glass, metal), including at the European level.

Pay to companies remaining in Germany (Made in Germany bonus).

For this:
– create Deutschlandfonds for investments
– simplification of documentation, digitalization
– reform of the Schuldenbremse at the constitutional level (more flexible borders, possibility for the Länder to use borrowings more flexibly, rules for complex situations)
– international tax on billionaires
– transaction tax
– investments in infrastructure (railways, bridges, digital networks)

Ecology

Continue electrification and develop renewable sources.

Electric cars are the future (introduce tax deductions for purchasing an electric car, require gas stations to install sockets)

Further development of bicycle routes.

The speed limit is 130 km/h on the motorways.

Migration

The issue of migration was voiced last.
– create a common register for foreigners. Make it easier for organizations to exchange data
– solving the problem at the pan-European level based on the principles of solidarity
– expel violators, accept refugees, provide access to work, leave integrated ones
– fight the causes of migration

CDU

The CDU program is the best written, detailed, filled with concrete proposals (many of them sort of the “cancel and ban”) and, especially in its short form, sounds like “let’s make Germany great again”.
The main message: we must work hard, as before. Those who work hard will earn good.

CDU starts the program with economics and energy.

– reduce taxes for low- and medium-income earners.
– Überstunden (overtime) without taxation
– set a maximum number of hours worked per week rather than per day, so that employers can flexibly regulate their working hours
– increase Pendlerpauschale

Ease the burden on businesses:
– reduce the tax burden to 25 percent
– cancel Soli (tax of solidarity for East Germany)
– improve write-off conditions
– remove unnecessary bureaucratic reports, such as statistics
– cancel Lieferkettengesetz
– reduce the importance of European legislation
– be able to share the staff
– legal security of mobile work and home office
– reduce the tax on food in gastronomy to 7 percent

Help farmers – return to the previous system of assistance, reduce bureaucracy

Electricity
– reduce the tax on electricity and network development fees
– build networks, storage facilities, number of renewable energy sources
– to study the issue of modern nuclear energy
– cancel Heizunggesetz

3.5 percent of GDP on research.
Development of innovations (space, AI, quantum computers, biotechnology, microelectronics)
More startups.

I did not find any sources of additional funding in the program, except perhaps a 10 percent reduction in the number of bureaucratic staff.
Keep Schuldenbremse

Social

Social issues are mostly focused on pensioners.

– cancel Bürgergeld, introduce Grundsicherung. If a person won’t work, cancel the benefit completely. Make the amount of allowed savings dependent on the number of years worked.
– for pensioners who continue to work, tax exemption up to 2000 euros.
– stimulation of early retirement savings (aged 6 to 18 years)
– compulsory pension insurance for the self-employed
– increase Freibeträge for volunteers and trainers

Fight violence against women.
Make it easier for women to enter the labour market.
Leave the paragraph about abortions as is.
Ban marijuana.
Facilitate access for people with disabilities.

Introduce Wehrpflicht on a voluntary basis.
Strive for the introduction of a mandatory social year (Gesellschaftjahr)

Family:
– increase Elterngeld
– increase the deduction for children and, accordingly, Kindergeld
– increase the deduction for child care (money for kindergarten)
– mandatory language test in preschool age
– reform BaFöG

Increase the amount of housing by increasing construction, including social housing. Simplify requirements and procedures, thereby reducing costs.
Allow the cost of energy upgrades to be deducted from inheritance and gift tax.

Migration

– one stop shop for skilled migrants. Facilitate recognition of work qualifications. Separate digital ministry for work migration
– constant border control
– speed up decisions on refugees, send them back quickly, including to countries recognized as safe (Syria, Afghanistan)
– stop family reunification
– change European legislation on refugees
– cancel the changes to the citizenship law
– mandatory fulfillment of integration goals and recognition of German values
– material assistance, not financial (payment cards)
– Ukrainian refugees – refugee allowance, not Bürgergeld, language learning in the workplace

Ecology

Lift the ban on internal combustion engines.

Use and develop all opportunities for obtaining energy from renewable sources. Gradually exit coal mining.

Innovative technologies in energy. New nuclear energy, hydrogen.

Maintaining climate goals and industrialization.

More ecology in communes.

AFD

It’s not like there’s any chance that the chancellor will be from the AFD, but a preliminary rating of 20 percent forces us to pay attention to this party as well.

The program is quite detailed, so I will not list all the points. Basically, it all comes down to the idea of ​​”return to how it was” with the inclusion of points to attract small offended groups, for example: protecting the rights of divorced fathers to contact their children, alternative medicine as part of medical care, or reforming the law on foreign pensions to help late repatriates.

The main points are:

– no multiculturalism
– only migration of qualified foreigners, slow down the brain drain.
– close the border for migrants for several years. Quick deportation of those who do not have the right or who have committed crimes, including to third countries. Asylum only with documents.
– no dual citizenship
– control the practice of Islam

– cancel all green laws, continue using coal power plants, turn on nuclear power plants again, bring back internal combustion engines, reduce electricity taxes, cancel CO2 charges.

– lower income tax, business tax
– remove inheritance tax (double taxation), property tax (too complicated)
– lower gastronomy tax back to 7 percent
– support for home purchases
– modernize infrastructure

– unemployment benefit ALG I only after 3 years of work and only for six months, for every next two years of work it is extended by 1 month
– reform Bürgergeld (only 6 months, then community service, Ukrainian refugees – on benefits as refugees, also remove those who are incapacitated)

– no 30 km/h restrictions on main roads. No speed limits on highways

– provide financial incentives to families, especially young families.
– against abortions, do not encourage the “single mother” format, family is a union of a man and a woman.
– bring back the old education system (strict division into levels, no inclusion, disabled people in special schools)

– compulsory military service (Wehrpflicht)