4,506 people with one goal: they all want to be elected to the Bundestag. As in the previous parliamentary elections in 2021, women are a minority. Then they were 32.6 percent, now they are 31.6 or 1,422. There are also three candidates who indicated “other“ in the gender column - two in Baden-Württemberg and one in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The Green Party nominates the most women
The Green Party nominates the most women – 52.7 percent, followed by the MERA25 party with 48.3 percent and the Animal Welfare Party with 44.5 percent. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has 41.9 percent of female candidates, while the Social Democrats – 40.4 percent.
There are also those that have not nominated any women at all - such as the Peasants' Party, the "Human World" party and the Socialist Equality Party. In the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), the share of women applying for parliamentary seats is only 12.4 percent.
There are fewer candidates than in 2021
Overall, the number of candidates for the Bundestag this time is 1,700 fewer than in 2021. In addition, the number of individual non-party candidates has decreased. In the previous elections, there were 197, now there are 62.
Of the current 733 German MPs, most - 587 people or 80 percent - want to keep their seats. 94 of the candidates only came of age after the last election and are therefore running for the first time.
The oldest candidate is from Hamburg
Pensioner Irene Brand, who is 88 years old, is the oldest candidate in these Bundestag elections in Germany. She is running on the Hamburg list of the Marxist-Leninist Party in Germany.
At the other end of the age pyramid is Elena Dao Krain from Balingen - an 18-year-old schoolgirl who represents the Left in the Zollernalb-Sigmaringen constituency in Baden-Württemberg.
How old are the candidates?
The average age of the candidate MPs is 45.3 years. With an average age of 44.4 years, women are slightly younger than male candidates (average 45.8 years).
The group of people between 50 and 59 years old is the most strongly represented - out of 1,015 candidates. The youngest are the representatives of the Humanist Party - on average 34.8 years old.
The oldest candidates are in the Marxist-Leninist Party in Germany - on average 60.5 years old. In the CDU, the average age is 45.2 years, in the CSU - 43.5, in the Social Democratic Party - 43.1 years, in the Greens - 40.4 years, the Liberal candidates are on average 42.6 years old, in the Left Party the indicator is 41.4 years old, and in the AfD - 52.1 years.
What are the professions of the candidates?
From lawyers and teachers, through political scientists and professional soldiers, to car mechanics, caregivers and architects - the palette of professional qualifications of candidate deputies is wide. Among them is a seamstress of women's clothing, a professional diver, a waitress and a dock worker.
It is not surprising that the professional fields of entrepreneurship, law and administration dominate by a large distance (1730 people). 672 candidates are from the health care, education and social sphere. In addition, there are 288 pupils, interns and students, 210 people are retired, as well as 19 housewives or unemployed.