BERLIN — In past German elections, candidates traditionally launched their campaigns during the warm, serene days of summer, making their final appeals to voters amid the crisp fall weather and colorful autumn leaves. However, as the German election 2025 approaches, this year’s campaign has taken a different route: candidates are donning thermal underpants and distributing mulled wine.
For the first time in nearly four decades, Germans will cast their votes in the dead of winter. The snap election on February 23, occurring seven months earlier than initially scheduled, poses not only a political upheaval but also significant logistical and campaign challenges for parties vying for seats in Germany’s parliament. Many regions have been blanketed in snow as election day draws near.
“To combat the freezing cold, I bought a thick, long winter coat and functional underwear,” stated Health Minister Karl Lauterbach from the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). “I’ve also used hand-warmers for the first time in my life.”
Campaigning in the frigid winter weather is less than enjoyable for him, he conveyed to the German news agency dpa.
The collapse of Germany’s three-party governing coalition in November disrupted the traditional election calendar, which had seen September votes for the last seven election cycles. Consequently, this marks Germany’s first Winterwahlkampf since 1987, prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
As parties scramble to structure their campaigns and connect with as many voters as possible ahead of February 23, they face an environment where fewer people venture out and fewer large gatherings occur for organic voter interaction, necessitating many large rallies to be held indoors.
“It’s a challenge to meet people because the weather means they’re simply not stopping at information stands or at the market,” remarked Reem Alabali-Radovan, an SPD parliamentarian from Schwerin. “In rural areas, often the only way to engage with people is at weekly markets, where there’s less foot traffic.”
Reaching voters in the cold
Germans tend to retreat indoors during harsh, cold winters. When bundled up and hurrying from one location to another, many are reluctant to stop and engage with politicians outdoors.
Organizing large rallies has also proven difficult. Instead of utilizing expansive outdoor venues, parties are predominantly planning indoor events, limiting their ability to accommodate attendees. Additionally, the impending Carnival season, beginning just days after the election, complicates last-minute venue bookings.
In the lead-up to Germany’s 2021 election, Greens politician Annalena Baerbock successfully held a rally in her Potsdam hometown without issue in September. However, a similar event this year saw temperatures plummet just above freezing as Baerbock concluded her speech.
After deciding to relocate the rally outdoors due to space constraints, Greens officials set up a stand serving tea and hot Punsch alongside the event and encouraged supporters to buy party-branded hats and scarves for warmth. Baerbock herself, dressed in a thick coat and snug winter cap, acknowledged the cold as she began her speech.
“We didn’t want half of you to show up and then have to stand outside the door,” Baerbock stated. “Now everyone is standing outside — that’s what we call solidarity. And hopefully, there’s some punch, too.”
Gloomy weather, gloomy moods
For those concerned about braving the cold on election day, federal election officials have encouraged voting by mail, assuring POLITICO that local electoral districts are taking measures to ensure safe access to polling places.
However, inclement weather could deter some from participating in the vote. The January 25, 1987 election in what was then West Germany recorded the lowest voter turnout since 1949.
As the campaign nears its end, politicians are also contending with the reality that gloomy, chilly weather tends to make people less receptive to political messages.
“What people also underestimate is that in the summer, individuals are generally in a better mood than in January,” shared a senior CDU politician from western Germany. “January and February are the worst months of the year for mood.”
For parties engaging in door-to-door canvassing, the dark early evenings further hinder their ability to elicit responses or interaction with campaigners, the politician added: “Who opens the door at six o’clock when there’s a stranger from the Greens or the CDU at the door?”
Even Friedrich Merz, the man whom opinion polls suggest may soon be the chancellor, is feeling the winter chill.
“Winter election campaigns require a bit more caution than when you’re outside in the summer,” Merz remarked to Die Zeit’s podcast when queried about concerns over catching a cold on the campaign trail. “The days are shorter — we all have to be a bit more careful.”
