Wybory do Bundestagu XX kadencji i nowy układ sił na niemieckiej scenie politycznej
Elections to Bundestag of the 20th electoral term and a new balance of power on the German political scene

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the study is to characterize the course of the election campaign, a detailed analysis of the election results and an attempt to reflect on the consequences of the outcome of the elections that took place in Germany on September 26, 2021.The author analyzes the election results with particular emphasis on the ongoing changes in the German party system. This election was unique for several reasons: 1) the chancellor in office was, for the first time, not seeking re-election so it was obvious that someone else would head the new government; 2) three parties (CDU/CSU, SPD and the Greens) nominated their candidates for chancellor; 3) the elections were highly personalized: errors and slip-ups of the leaders significantly impacted the ratings of their parties; 4) the election campaign was exceptionally dynamic (the party leading the polls changed three times), and its course was strongly influenced by unexpected events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the tragic flood in western Germany; 5) in their programs, most parties set themselves far-reaching goals related to the modernization of the German economy and the adaptation of Germany to the challenges of the climate crisis. The study confirmed the thesis that the results of the elections to the Bundestag of the 20th electoral term validated most of the tendencies within the German party system that could be observed in the 21st century. Thus, the German party system will continue to be based on the six relevant parties represented in the Bundestag (SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens, FDP, AfD and Die Linke). However, the position of extreme parties (AfD, Die Linke) weakened, resulting in a greater number of possible coalition solutions. After the elections, a progressive coalition was formed, nicknamed a “traffic lights coalition”, made up of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP with Olaf Scholz as the new chancellor.

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