Process for chloralkali electrolysis with an electrolysis cell in a gap arrangement, in particular with a spacing of 0.01 mm to 3 mm between ion exchange membrane and gas diffusion electrode, the cell having at least one anode space with anode and an anolyte comprising alkali metal chloride, an ion exchange membrane, a cathode space with a gas diffusion electrode as the cathode, comprising a silver-containing catalyst and a flat, porous element between gas diffusion electrode and membrane which has a thickness in particular of 0.01 mm to 3 mm and through which catholyte flows, characterized in that, at the end of the electrolysis operation, in particular for shutdown, at least the following steps are conducted in this sequence: a) lowering the electrolysis voltage, wherein in a potentiostatic operation the electrolysis voltage is set between 0.1 and 1.4 V irrespective of the current density that is established, and removing chlorine from the anolyte so that less than 10 mg/L of active chlorine is present in the anolyte by maintaining an electrolysis voltage per element of from 0.1 to 1.4 V, wherein a current flows from anode to cathode, i.e. the current direction remains in the original electrolysis current direction and the current density is greater than zero, b) and adjusting the pH of the anolyte to a value in the range from pH 2 to pH 12 during step a), c) residing under these conditions so long as catholyte is present in the cathode gap, wherein for emptying the electrolysis cell the further steps are conducted in this sequence: d) cooling the anolyte to a temperature of below 70°C in potentiostatic operation while maintaining the electrolysis voltage in the range from 0.1 to 1.4 V, e) switching off the electrolysis voltage at a temperature of the electrolytes of < 55°C, f) emptying the cathode gap, g) emptying the anode space, h) preferably refilling the anode space with one of the following liquids: dilute alkali metal chloride solution of not more than 4 mol/l or deionized water, and subsequently emptying the anode space, i) filling the cathode space with one of the following liquids: dilute alkali metal hydroxide solution of not more than 10 mol/l or deionized water, with subsequent emptying of the cathode space. a) lowering the electrolysis voltage, wherein in a potentiostatic operation the electrolysis voltage is set between 0.1 and 1.4 V irrespective of the current density that is established, and removing chlorine from the anolyte so that less than 10 mg/L of active chlorine is present in the anolyte by maintaining an electrolysis voltage per element of from 0.1 to 1.4 V, wherein a current flows from anode to cathode, i.e. the current direction remains in the original electrolysis current direction and the current density is greater than zero, b) and adjusting the pH of the anolyte to a value in the range from pH 2 to pH 12 during step a), c) residing under these conditions so long as catholyte is present in the cathode gap, d) cooling the anolyte to a temperature of below 70°C in potentiostatic operation while maintaining the electrolysis voltage in the range from 0.1 to 1.4 V, e) switching off the electrolysis voltage at a temperature of the electrolytes of < 55°C, f) emptying the cathode gap, g) emptying the anode space, h) preferably refilling the anode space with one of the following liquids: dilute alkali metal chloride solution of not more than 4 mol/l or deionized water, and subsequently emptying the anode space, i) filling the cathode space with one of the following liquids: dilute alkali metal hydroxide solution of not more than 10 mol/l or deionized water, with subsequent emptying of the cathode space.