At European elections, parties and political associations which have not been continuously represented in the European Parliament, the German Bundestag or in a Land parliament since the last election to the relevant assembly by at least five deputies on the basis of nominations made by the parties or associations themselves also have to submit a specific number of supporting signatures (a maximum of 2,000 signatures in support of lists for individual Länder and 4,000 signatures to support joint lists for all Länder).

These personal handwritten supporting signatures have to be provided on official forms which are supplied to the nominating bodies upon request by the returning officers responsible. At European elections, forms for joint lists to be used in all Länder are supplied by the Federal Returning Officer, while forms for lists to be used in one Land are provided by the respective Land returning officer. At Bundestag elections, the respective Land returning officers provide the forms for Land lists and the constituency returning officers supply the forms for constituency nominations in their constituency.

Those wishing to support a specific nomination with their signatures must be entitled to vote in the respective electoral area at the time of signature. For Bundestag elections, this means they must be entitled to vote in the Land to support a Land list and to vote in a constituency to support a constituency nomination; in European elections, they must be entitled to vote in the Land to support a nomination. Each person eligible to vote may support only one nomination with his or her signature. If someone has signed several nominations, his or her signature is invalid on all nominations.

After the form has been signed, the voting right is confirmed free of charge by the local authority where the person entitled to vote has his or her main residence (certificate of the right to vote). Someone, for instance a nominating body, who applies for a certificate of the right to vote for another person has to prove that the persons concerned supports the nomination.

Certificates of the right to vote are required not only to support nominations but also when signatures are collected for petitions for a referendum and popular or citizens’ initiatives.

Legal bases
Bundestag election: Sections 20 (2) and (3), 27 (1) of the Federal Elections Act (BWG); Sections 34 (4), 39 (3) of the Federal Electoral Regulations (BWO); Annexes 14 and 21 to the Federal Electoral Regulations (BWO)
European election: Section 9 (5) of the European Elections Act (EuWG); Section 32 (3) of the European Electoral Regulations (EuWO); Annex 14 to the European Electoral Regulations (EuWO)

Last update: June 2009