State election in Lower Saxony, Germany
2003 Lower Saxony state election|
|
|
| Turnout | 3,984,009 (67.0%)
 6.8% |
|---|
|
|
First party
|
Second party
|
|
|
![]()
|
|
| Leader
|
Christian Wulff
|
Sigmar Gabriel
|
| Party
|
CDU
|
SPD
|
| Last election
|
62 seats, 35.9%
|
83 seats, 47.9%
|
| Seats won
|
91
|
63
|
| Seat change
|
 29
|
20
|
| Popular vote
|
1,925,055
|
1,330,156
|
| Percentage
|
48.3%
|
33.4%
|
| Swing
|
12.4%
|
14.5%
|
|
|
|
Third party
|
Fourth party
|
|
|
|
|
| Party
|
FDP
|
Greens
|
| Last election
|
0 seats, 4.9%
|
12 seats, 7.0%
|
| Seats won
|
15
|
14
|
| Seat change
|
15
|
2
|
| Popular vote
|
323,107
|
304,532
|
| Percentage
|
8.1%
|
7.6%
|
| Swing
|
3.2%
|
0.6%
|
|
 Results for the single-member constituencies |
|
The 2003 Lower Saxony state election was held on 2 February 2003 to elect the members of the 15th Landtag of Lower Saxony. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) majority government led by Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel was defeated. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came up one seat short of a majority, and formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). CDU leader Christian Wulff was subsequently elected minister-president.
Background
The election in Lower Saxony had larger significance than just in the state itself.[1] Defeat for the Social Democrats in the election would mean they lost their slim majority in the upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat.[1] It was thought this might cause the collapse of Gerhard Schröder's national coalition government between the Social Democrats and the Green Party.[1]
Campaign and issues
The economy was seen as the most important issue in the election, with the Social Democrats suffering as a result.[2]
Opinion polls in December 2002 showed the Christian Democrats in the lead with 43% as against 34% for the Social Democrats.[3]
Parties
The table below lists parties represented in the 14th Landtag of Lower Saxony.
Opinion polling
| Polling firm
|
Fieldwork date
|
Sample
size
|
SPD
|
CDU
|
Grüne
|
FDP
|
Others
|
Lead
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2003 state election
|
2 Feb 2003
|
–
|
33.4
|
48.3
|
7.6
|
8.1
|
2.5
|
14.9
|
| Forsa
|
27–30 Jan 2003
|
1,014
|
33
|
48
|
8
|
7
|
4
|
15
|
| Forsa
|
20–24 Jan 2003
|
1,103
|
35
|
48
|
8
|
6
|
3
|
13
|
| Emnid
|
23 Jan 2003
|
?
|
37
|
46
|
9
|
5
|
3
|
9
|
| Infratest dimap
|
16–20 Jan 2003
|
1,000
|
36
|
48
|
7
|
5
|
4
|
12
|
| Forsa
|
13–18 Jan 2003
|
1,008
|
36
|
48
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
12
|
| Infratest dimap
|
9–13 Jan 2003
|
1,000
|
37
|
46
|
8
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
| Forsa
|
6–10 Jan 2003
|
1,027
|
37
|
46
|
9
|
5
|
3
|
9
|
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen
|
6–9 Jan 2003
|
1,044
|
37
|
45
|
8
|
6
|
4
|
8
|
| Forsa
|
27 Dec 2002–3 Jan 2003
|
1,122
|
36
|
46
|
10
|
5
|
3
|
10
|
| Infratest dimap
|
2–4 Dec 2002
|
1,000
|
40
|
45
|
7
|
5
|
3
|
5
|
| Emnid
|
14–20 Nov 2002
|
1,003
|
34
|
43
|
12
|
6
|
5
|
9
|
| Forsa
|
23 Sep 2002
|
?
|
47
|
36.5
|
7.5
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
11.5
|
| Emnid
|
30 Aug–4 Sep 2002
|
1,000
|
42
|
38
|
7
|
8
|
5
|
4
|
| Infratest dimap
|
14 Jun 2002
|
1,000
|
45
|
35
|
6
|
11
|
3
|
10
|
| Emnid
|
31 May 2002
|
?
|
39
|
37
|
6
|
12
|
6
|
2
|
| Forsa
|
17 Apr 2002
|
?
|
43
|
41
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
| Emnid
|
21–27 Feb 2002
|
1,000
|
43
|
37
|
7
|
8
|
5
|
6
|
| Forsa
|
11–27 Feb 2002
|
1,327
|
43
|
39
|
6
|
5
|
7
|
4
|
| Infratest dimap
|
31 Aug 2001
|
?
|
44
|
36
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
8
|
| Forsa
|
22 Jun 2001
|
?
|
46
|
37
|
7
|
5
|
5
|
9
|
| Infratest dimap
|
20 Feb 2001
|
?
|
48
|
35
|
7
|
5
|
5
|
13
|
| Forsa
|
28 Oct 1999
|
?
|
41
|
46
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
| Infratest dimap
|
21–24 Oct 1999
|
1,000
|
41
|
46
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
| 1998 state election
|
1 Mar 1998
|
–
|
47.9
|
35.9
|
7.0
|
4.9
|
4.3
|
12.0
|
Election result
Summary of the 2 February 2003 election results for the Landtag of Lower Saxony
| Party
|
Votes
|
%
|
+/-
|
Seats
|
+/-
|
Seats %
|
|
|
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
|
1,925,055
|
48.3
|
12.4
|
91
|
29
|
49.7
|
|
|
Social Democratic Party (SPD)
|
1,330,156
|
33.4
|
14.5
|
63
|
20
|
34.4
|
|
|
Free Democratic Party (FDP)
|
323,107
|
8.1
|
3.2
|
15
|
15
|
8.2
|
|
|
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)
|
304,532
|
7.6
|
0.6
|
14
|
2
|
7.7
|
|
|
|
|
Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Schill party)
|
40,342
|
1.0
|
New
|
0
|
New
|
0
|
|
|
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)
|
21,560
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0
|
±0
|
0
|
|
|
Others
|
39,257
|
1.0
|
|
0
|
±0
|
0
|
| Total
|
3,984,009
|
100.0
|
|
183
|
26
|
|
| Voter turnout
|
|
67.0
|
6.8
|
|
|
|
| Popular Vote |
|---|
|
|
|
| CDU |
|
48.32% |
| SPD |
|
33.38% |
| FDP |
|
8.11% |
| B'90/GRÜNE |
|
7.64% |
| SCHILL |
|
1.01% |
| PDS |
|
0.54% |
| Other |
|
0.99% |
|
| Landtag seats |
|---|
|
|
|
| CDU |
|
49.73% |
| SPD |
|
34.43% |
| FDP |
|
8.20% |
| B'90/GRÜNE |
|
7.65% |
|
References
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