The vote of confidence – what is it?
Stability even when a coalition is in crisis: German democracy sets down clear procedures regarding the dealings between the government and the Bundestag.
The Basic Law was designed to guarantee a stable democracy
German democracy is based on rules laid down in the Basic Law. The key aim here is to ensure that the government is supported by a majority in parliament. These rules guarantee stability even when a government is in crisis, which is the case when a coalition collapses because one party leaves the government, for example. The question then arises as to whether the government’s policies are still supported by a majority in parliament, the Bundestag – since this is what provides the basis for a democratically legitimised government.
The Federal Chancellor puts the question to members of the Bundestag: do you confirm that you support the work I am doing?
If a government is no longer sure whether its policies will be supported by a majority in parliament, the head of government, i.e. the Federal Chancellor, can call for a vote of confidence under Article 68 of the Basic Law. This involves holding a vote in the Bundestag to establish whose support he can count on. It can be combined with a vote on a bill, i.e. linked to a decision on a major issue. 48 hours must pass between the request for a vote of confidence and the vote itself – allowing time for further consultations. If a majority of MPs vote in favour of the Federal Chancellor, there is no reason to take further action in this regard and the government continues its work.
What happens if the government fails to secure a majority in parliament?
If the government does not win the vote of confidence, the Federal President – Germany’s head of state – can dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days and call new elections. The aim of holding new elections is to obtain a government that is supported by a majority in parliament. If the Bundestag elects another Federal Chancellor before being dissolved, it may no longer be dissolved. The elections must take place within 60 days of the dissolution of parliament.
How many times has there been a vote of confidence in the Bundestag in the past?
A vote of confidence has only been held five times in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. On three occasions the government failed to gain a majority: each time, parliament was dissolved and new elections were held. In 1972, Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt (SPD) lost the vote but won the subsequent elections, just as he had hoped. In 1982, Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (SPD) lost his majority, and the Bundestag elected Helmut Kohl (CDU) as Federal Chancellor. Kohl called a vote of confidence in order to legitimise his chancellorship in the eyes of the population at large: and as he had planned, he failed to gain a majority. He then went on to win the elections that were triggered as a result. When Gerhard Schröder (SPD) lost a vote of confidence in 2005, Angela Merkel (CDU) became Federal Chancellor after the subsequent elections.
