The Gender Gap in Voting Behaviour: An Analysis through the 2025 German Federal Election

For a long time, it was assumed that women vote more conservatively. This so-called traditional gender gap was already observed during the first nationwide election with universal suffrage in Germany in 1919. However, this pattern has shifted into a modern gender gap. Women are increasingly voting for left-leaning parties, while men tend to support parties to the right of the center.

The polarization is particularly pronounced among young voters: among 18- to 24-year-olds, 35 % of women voted for the Left Party, whereas the AfD emerged as the strongest party among young men. No other age group differs as sharply in party choice as the 18-24-year-olds.

Overall, the federal election mainly continued trends that had already emerged in recent years, with some developments accelerating significantly.

This article highlights these trends in gender-specific voting behavior in Germany ­- from long-term patterns since the post-war era to the latest developments in the 2025 federal election - and discusses potential future trajectories.