Politics of Saarland

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The politics of Saarland takes place within a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, where the Federal Government of Germany exercises sovereign rights with certain powers reserved to the states of Germany including Saarland. The state has a multi-party system where the two main parties are the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) on the left and the Christian Democratic Union on the right.

Every five years, all Germans residing in the State over the age of 18 elect the members of the Saarland Landtag. This regional parliament or legislature then elects the Minister-President and confirms the cabinet members.

History pre-1957

League of Nations

Further information: Territory of the Saar Basin

The "Territory of the Saar Basin" was governed by the League of Nations under the Treaty of Versailles from 1920 until 1935. The Chairmen of the Commission of Government were:

Nazi Germany

Saarland voted to rejoin Germany in 1935. The German-appointed Reichskommissar were:

Saar protectorate

Further information: Saar Protectorate

From 1947 to 1956, Saarland was controlled by France as a protectorate. Elections were held but pro-German parties were banned.

Minister-Presidents in this time were:

List of Ministers President

Saarland joined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957. Since then, its Minister-Presidents have been:

Landtag of Saarland

Party Strength in Landtag

A darkened box under a party in any given year denotes that the party had either not yet been founded, or the party had become defunct, by the date of that election.

Prior to joining Germany

Election year Total
seats 		Seats won
CVP SPS DPS KP CDU DSP
1947 50 28 17 3 2
1952 50 29 17 4
1955 50 13 2 12 2 14 7

Since joining the Federal Republic of Germany

Election year Total
seats 		Seats won
CDU SPD FDP Grüne Linke AfD Other
1960 50 19 16 7 8 [a]
1965 50 23 21 4 2 [b]
1970 50 27 23
1975 50 25 22 3
1980 51 23 24 4
1985 51 20 26 5
1990 51 18 30 3
1994 51 21 27 3
1999 51 26 25
2004 51 27 18 3 3
2009 51 19 13 5 3 11
2012 51 19 17 2 9 4 [c]
2017 51 24 17 7 3
2022 51 19 29 3

State Landtag Compositions

State Election Results Maps

Constituencies in the Landtag

Vote Share

The election results have been:

Year CDU SPD FDP/DPS Grüne Die Linke[1] Piraten AfD TSP CVP SPS DPS KP DDU Others
1947 - - - - - - - 51,2 %* 32,8% 7,6% 8,4% - -
1952 - - - - - - - 54,7 % 32,4% - 9,5% - 3,4%
1955 25,4 % 14,3 % - - - - - 21,8% 5,8% 24,2 % 6,8% 0,9% 1,0%
1960 36,6 % 30,0% - - - - - 11,4% - 13,6 % - 5,0% 3,4%
1965 42,7 % 40,7% 8,3 % - - - - 5,2% - - - - 3,1%
1970 47,8 % 40,8% 4,4% - - - - - - - - - 7,0%
1975 49,1 % 41,8% 7,4% - - - - - - - - - 1,7%
1980 44,0 % 45,4% 6,9 % 2,9% - - - - - - - - 0,8%
1985 37,3% 49,2 % 10,0% 2,5% - - - - - - - - 1,0%
1990 33,4% 54,4 % 5,6% 2,6% - - - - - - - - 4,0%
1994 38,6% 49,4 % 2,1% 5,5% - - - - - - - - 4,5%
1999 45,5 % 44,4% 2,6% 3,2% - - - - - - - - 4,3%
2004 47,5 % 30,8% 5,2% 5,6% 2,3% - - - - - - - 8,6%
2009 34,5 % 24,5% 9,2 % 5,9 % 21,5% - - - - - - - 4,4%
2012 35,2% 30,6% 1,2% 5,0% 16,1% 7,4% - - - - - - 4,5%
2017 40,7% 29,6% 3,3% 4,0% 12,9% 0,7% 6,2% - - - - - 2,6%
2022 28,5% 43,5% 5,7% 5,0% 2,6% 0,3% 5,7% 2,3% - - - - - 6,4%

Constituencies in the Bundestag

No Constituency Member[2] 2021 Voters 2017 2013 2009 2005 2002 1998 1994 1990
296 Saarbrücken Josephine Ortleb SPD 192,929 SPD CDU CDU SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD
297 Saarlouis Heiko Maas SPD 203,279 CDU CDU CDU SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD
298 St. Wendel Christian Petry SPD 173,074 CDU CDU CDU SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD
299 Homburg Esra Limbacher SPD 185,941 CDU CDU CDU SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD

Notes

  1. ^ 6 SVP, 2 DDU
  2. ^ SVP
  3. ^ Pirates

References

  1. ^ 2004: PDS
  2. ^ https://www.bundeswahlleiterin.de/bundestagswahlen/2021/wahlkreiseinteilung.html