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Identifying name

Constituency nominations submitted by individual candidates or groups of voters and not by political parties require an identifying name.

It would be permissible to use for instance the name of a candidate or of an organisation or a political slogan. Combining a slogan with a place name is generally permitted, too. The identifying name may consist of several words but should be a short as possible. It must not be a source of confusion. The name must not suggest, in particular, that this is the constituency nomination of a political party.

It is the responsibility of the constituency returning officer in charge to check the constituency nominations, and the respective constituency electoral committee is responsible for admitting them. If the constituency electoral committee objects, the name of the candidate is used as identifying name of the constituency nomination.

Since there are no constituency nominations at European Elections there are no individual candidates who need an identifying name.

Legal bases

Section 20 (3) and (4) of the Federal Elections Act (BWG)
Section 36 (4) of the Federal Electoral Regulations (BWO)

Last update: 8 July 2024