Editing Dissolution of parliament (section)

== Germany ==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2010}}
According to the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|Basic Law]], the [[Bundestag]] can be dissolved by the [[President of Germany|federal president]] if the [[Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic)|chancellor]] loses a [[vote of confidence]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Article 68 of the German Basic Law |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html#p0314 |website=Gesetze im Internet |publisher=German Ministry of Justice |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> or if a newly elected Bundestag proves unable to elect a chancellor with absolute majority.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article 63 of the Basic Law |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_gg/englisch_gg.html#p0296 |website=Gesetze im Internet |publisher=German Ministry of Justice |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> The second possibility has never occurred, but the Bundestag was dissolved in 1972, 1982, 2005 and 2024 when the then-ruling chancellors [[Willy Brandt]], [[Helmut Kohl]], [[Gerhard Schröder]] and [[Olaf Scholz]] deliberately lost votes of confidence in order that there could be fresh [[Elections in Germany|elections]]. In 1982 and 2005, the decree of dissolution was challenged without success before the [[Federal Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]]. No president has yet refused a dissolution of the Bundestag when the choice came to him.

The Bundestag is automatically dissolved four years after the last general election, and most Bundestags have lasted the full term.

The second federal legislative body, the [[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]], cannot be dissolved, as its members are the [[States of Germany|federal states]]' governments as such rather than specific individuals.