Elections
Service description
In the Federal Republic of Germany, elections to the European Parliament, the German Bundestag, the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia and local councils are held at regular intervals.
Furthermore, the Lord Mayors and Mayors in the cities and municipalities as well as the District Councillors in the districts are elected directly by the citizens.
European election
Since 1979, Members of the European Parliament have been elected by popular vote in the Member States within the framework and on the basis of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage in accordance with the Member States' own legal bases.
Federal election
The German Bundestag is the representative body of the Federal Republic of Germany and, as the authoritative legislative body, its most important organ. Of the supreme constitutional bodies of the Federal Republic of Germany, only the German Bundestag is formed by popular election.
The Bundestag election is used to determine the members of the German Bundestag. It generally takes place every four years.
State election
Of the supreme constitutional bodies in North Rhine-Westphalia, only the state parliament is formed by popular election. Its members are elected by universal, direct, free, equal and secret suffrage for a term of five years. In the current 17th electoral term, there are 199 members of parliament in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Local elections
The councils of the 396 municipalities and 31 districts in NRW are elected for a term of five years by direct, free, equal and secret ballot.
The direct elections of Lord Mayors, Mayors and District Councillors in the cities, municipalities and districts of North Rhine-Westphalia have been held since 1999. The provisions on the election of representatives largely apply to direct elections. The (Lord) Mayors and District Councillors are elected by the citizens in a general, direct, free, equal and secret ballot for a term of five years according to the principles of majority voting.