New Bundestag: Overview of the Newly Elected Representatives

The composition of the new German Bundestag has been officially confirmed, marking a shift to a total of 630 representatives for the upcoming legislative term, a noticeable decrease from prior numbers. A significant portion of these newly elected officials is already familiar with the workings of the parliament, as approximately 400 of them have served in previous terms.

The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) leads in terms of new members, contributing 92 representatives, followed by the Union with 62 new faces and the Left Party with 51 newcomers.

Gender representation in the Bundestag continues to be a point of concern, with the percentage of female representatives declining. In contrast to 34.8% in the 2021 Bundestag, the new assembly will see only 32.4% of its members being women, despite women comprising over 50% of the general population in Germany. This decline in female representation is substantially influenced by the AfD and the Union, where the AfD has a mere 12% female representation, resulting in 88% of its members being male. The CDU and CSU are slightly better, with just over a quarter of their representatives being women.

Conversely, the Green Party boasts the highest proportion of female representatives, with more than 61% women, while the Left Party follows closely with 56% female representation.

In terms of age demographics, the average age of the Bundestag members has increased slightly, with the new representatives averaging around 48 years. This is higher than the previous average of 47.3 years. Notably, only 4% of the newly elected officials are under 30, and the overall representation of individuals under 30 in the Bundestag remains significantly lower than in the general population.

Additionally, the representation of older members is minimal, with only 12 individuals over the age of 70, constituting about 2% of the assembly. The AfD shows a significant presence of over-60-year-olds, with an average age exceeding 51 years, while the youngest members are from the Green Party and the Left Party, averaging around 43 years.

The youngest member of the new Bundestag is Luke Rolf Hoß from the Left Party, born in 2001, while the oldest members include Alexander Gauland of the AfD, aged 84, and Gregor Gysi from the Left Party, who is 77 years old. Gysi, known for his long-standing political presence, is expected to preside over the first session of the new Bundestag, allowing him unlimited speaking time.

Professionally, the new Bundestag is characterized by a significant number of representatives coming from the corporate sector, particularly in areas such as business organization, accounting, law, and administration, comprising over 70% of the members. However, students, apprentices, and school attendees are notably underrepresented, with only five members identifying as part of these groups, which is a mere 0.8% of the total. In contrast, retirees make up only 1.1% of the representatives, with just seven members receiving retirement benefits.

Finally, while the representation of individuals born outside Germany among the general population stands at over 12%, the Bundestag has only 2.7% of its members hailing from foreign origins. This disparity highlights ongoing discussions about diversity and representation within the German political landscape.