How is it that Angela Merkel's government of 16 years?

What happens if you do a Selfie in the election booth, and how is it possible for Angela Merkel to rule 16 years? Rules for parliamentary elections in Germany are clear, but sometimes even strange.

This Sunday Germany picks the new Bundestag. Citizens decide on parliament's new composition once every four years. The date of the election is determined by the president, which may be Sunday or a holiday, but is proposed by the Chancellor. Votes are the basis of the federation's political system. „All power stems from the people”, says Article 20 of the German Constitution.

1. Who votes?

All German citizens aged 18 can vote. If they live in Germany they get a vote notice at the right time. Germans outside or those since 14 years of age have lived for at least 3 months in this country without interruption over 25 years can vote, but they must be careful to put themselves on the voter lists.

There are people who lose their vote. This affects 200,000 people in Germany, people living under medical care, such as those with limited abilities. Rarely does it happen in Germany to deprive convicts of their right to vote. A total of 61.5 people are participating in the poll in 2017. Voter turnout has declined, although compared at the international level, it is at the right level. 71.5% participated in the vote in 2013.

2. Who is chosen?

Voters elect new members of the German parliament. Acceptable political parties, who previously define candidates, participate in the vote. Who will go to the polls as independent should have at least 200 supporters in his election zone to appear as candidate.

3. How do you vote?

Many still vote at polling stations. There the election volunteers see to it that voters meet only one ballot sheet, unannounced and unplaced. For example, near the election club, no posters with portraits of political party candidates are allowed. Anyone who cannot go to the polling station can mail the ballot sheet. This year experts expect a record of paper voting.

Voting is done in secret, so authorities are careful. Even the photogame is prohibited. Self in ballot boxes are also prohibited by law.

4. Why do the Germans have two votes?

Every German voter has two votes. With the first vote, he could vote for direct candidates in the electoral zone. There are 299 candidates for each area of 250,000. With the second vote placed on a party's candidate list, this is the most important, because it decides on the majority in parliament.

5. Who gets into Bundestag?

Who and how many MPs enter parliament, this is decided in a process of several phases. Initially, the designated seats in parliament -- which are 598, according to German law -- are distributed according to the number of residents of the countries. Based on the outcome of the second vote, the number of MPs belonging to each party is determined after the elections.

But because 299 direct candidates are definitely admitted to Bundestag, it could happen that a party has a minimal number of more seats in parliament than is the result of the second vote. In order not to break down, the Bundestag grows. That happens regularly because parties like CSU, CSU, are successful with direct candidates. This time Bundestag can even catch 700 deputies.

6. Who doesn't enter parliament?

These are the candidates who lost in front of direct candidates, and there are those who on the list of political parties stand too low. At the same time, party candidates who reach less than 5% cannot enter parliament. This quota seeks to prevent very small parties from being part of parliament, because government creation is difficult. In 2017, 42 parties compete.

7. What happens after the elections?

Votes are given by 6:00. After that are votes counted by election assistants. Every citizen has a right to be present at the vote count. The first prognosis appears at 6:00. The final result appears nearly two weeks after the elections.

8. Is there risk of manipulation?

The vote in Germany is given on paper, in case it is verifiable. Theoretically, electronic transmission may have forged results, but experts see this danger as extremely minimal. For no doubt, the government has demanded that there be presence of OSCE envoys.

9. How does the government create?

The party that has the majority could create the government. But this currently seems impossible, which on election night begins seeking candidates for coalitions. The strongest party takes the initiative, from 2005, is Angela Merkel's CDU. The search for coalition partners could last several months.

10. Who runs the government?

Finally, MPs elect the president or the chairman of the government. There is no limit to the post. Angela Merkel has had three mandates, on her way to victory for the fourth term.