1. Bundestag elections
Certificates of eligibility for political office confirm that the candidate is a German within the meaning of Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law on election day and is not ineligible to stand for election in accordance with Section 15 (2) of the Federal Elections Act.
They are issued by the municipality where the candidate has his or her main residence.
Certificates of eligibility for political office have to be submitted together with the constituency nomination to the constituency returning officer by the 69th day before election at the latest for candidates of constituency nominations.
Certificates of eligibility for political office have to be submitted to the Land returning officers by the 69th day before election, 6 p.m. at the latest for candidates on Land lists.
The certificate of eligibility for political office has to be submitted in accordance with the specimen at Annex 16 to Section 34 (5) no. 2 and Section 39 (4) no. 2 of the Federal Electoral Regulations.
Legal bases
Bundestag election: Sections 34 (5) no. 2, 39 (4) no. 2 of the Federal Electoral
Regulations (BWO)
2. European elections
Certificates of eligibility for political office confirm that the candidate or substitute candidate
• is a German within the meaning of Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law and is not ineligible to stand for election in accordance with Section 6b (3) of the European Elections Act
• as a Union citizen has his or her abode or other usual residence within the municipality issuing the certificate and is not ineligible to stand for election in the Federal Republic of Germany.
• An assurance in lieu of an oath of the candidates or substitute candidates is additionally required for Union citizens, confirming
their citizenship,
their address within the Federal Republic of Germany,
the territorial authority or the constituency of the home member state where they were last
registered,
that they are not also running for election in another member state of the European
Community.
Union citizens also have to present a certificate of the home member state which confirms
that they are not ineligible to stand for election there
or
that no information is available about any such disqualification.
1. certificate of good conduct (information from the Federal Central Criminal Register) for
submission to an authority pursuant to Section 30 (5) of the Federal Central Criminal Register Act
(BZRG), which has to be applied for directly (Section 30 (3) of the BZRG)
2. an assurance in lieu of an oath in the German embassy, stating that the candidate has not
been disqualified from the eligibility to stand for election for the reasons listed in Section 6b
(3) of the European Elections Act.
Certificates of eligibility for political office are issued by the municipality where the candidate or substitute candidate has his or her residence.
Certificates of eligibility for political office have to be submitted to the Land returning officer in charge by 6 p.m. of the 66th day before election at the latest for candidates or substitute candidates on lists for a Land.
Certificates of eligibility for political office have to be submitted to the Federal Returning Officer by the 68th day before election at the latest for candidates or substitute candidates on the joint list for all Länder.
Certificates of eligibility for political office have to be submitted in accordance with the
specimen under Annex 16 to Section 32 (4) no. 2 of the European Electoral Regulations or – for
Union citizens – according to the specimen under Annex 16A to Section 32 (4) no. 2a of the European
Electoral Regulations. Union citizens have to supply also Annex 16B to Section 32 (4) no. 2b. Annex
16C to Section 78a of the European Electoral Regulations shall apply for Germans running for
election in another member state.
Legal bases:
European election: Sections 32 (4) no. 2, no. 2a, no. 2b, 78a of the European Electoral
Regulations (EuWO)
Last update: July 2012
