section_path: Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)/Election/Regular Chancellor election/First voting phase
section_name: First voting phase
paragraph_text: First voting phase
  
  The process begins with the president of Germany proposing a candidate to the Bundestag, who is then voted upon without debate ("1st voting phase"). Theoretically, the President is free here, both in terms of the timing of the nomination and the person nominated; in practice, it has become established that the President waits for the usually necessary coalition negotiations after the election and then nominates the person on whom the coalition parties have agreed.
  
  If the nominee reaches the necessary "chancellor majority", the president of Germany will appoint him or her and, after that, the president of the Bundestag will administer the oath of office before the assembled house.