Eligibility to stand for election

Eligibility to stand for election is the right to be elected.

A person is eligible to stand for election if on election day, he or she

is a German citizen as defined in Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law and

has reached the age of eighteen.

A person is ineligible to stand for election if he or she

is disqualified from voting (Bundestag election: Section 13 of the Federal Elections Act, European election: Section 6a of the European Elections Act) or

has been deprived by judicial decision of the eligibility to stand for election or hold public office.

In European elections, Union citizen also are eligible to stand for election if they have an abode or have otherwise been permanently staying in the Federal Republic of Germany, provided that on election day they

hold the citizenship of an EU member state and
have reached the age of eighteen.

In European elections, Union citizens also are ineligible to stand for election if they

are disqualified from voting in the Federal Republic of Germany (Section 6a (2) no. 1 of the European Elections Act),
are disqualified from voting in their home member state (Section 6a (2) no. 2 of the European Elections Act),
have been deprived by judicial decision in the Federal Republic of Germany of the right to stand for election or hold public office or
are not entitled to vote in their home member state due to a decision in an individual civil or criminal law case.

Legal bases

Sections 6a, 6b of the European Elections Act (EuWG)

Last update: 1 May 2016

Eligibility to stand for election

Bundestag elections

Legal bases

European Parliament elections

Legal bases