Vote of No Confidence and Early Elections: An Analysis of the German Constitutional Framework
Introduction
In the German parliamentary system, the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) has the power to hold a vote of no confidence against the Federal Chancellor. If the motion succeeds, the Bundestag must elect a new Chancellor within 14 days. If no new Chancellor is elected within this timeframe, the Bundestag is dissolved and early elections are held.
Constitutional Basis
The constitutional basis for the vote of no confidence is Article 67 of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz). According to this provision, a vote of no confidence can be initiated by at least one-quarter of the members of the Bundestag. The motion must be supported by a majority of the members present and at least 239 votes.
Consequences of a Successful Vote of No Confidence
If the vote of no confidence succeeds, the Federal Chancellor is required to resign. The Bundestag must then elect a new Chancellor within 14 days. If no new Chancellor is elected within this timeframe, the Bundestag is dissolved and early elections are held.
Early Elections
Early elections are held when the Bundestag is unable to elect a new Chancellor within 14 days of a successful vote of no confidence. The elections are held according to the same rules as regular elections, with the newly elected Bundestag convening within 30 days.
Recent Examples
There have been three successful votes of no confidence in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. The first was in 1972, when the Bundestag voted against Chancellor Willy Brandt. The second was in 1982, when the Bundestag voted against Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. The most recent vote of no confidence was in 2018, when the Bundestag voted against Chancellor Angela Merkel. In all three cases, the Bundestag was able to elect a new Chancellor within 14 days, and early elections were not held.
Conclusion
The vote of no confidence is a powerful tool that the Bundestag can use to hold the Federal Chancellor accountable. However, it is a rarely used mechanism, and it has only been successful three times in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. In the event of a successful vote of no confidence, the Bundestag must elect a new Chancellor within 14 days. If no new Chancellor is elected within this timeframe, the Bundestag is dissolved and early elections are held.
: Vertrauensfrage und vorzeitige Neuwahlen
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