2017 Saarland state election
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All 51 seats in the Landtag of Saarland 26 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 533,783 (69.7%)![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2017 Saarland state election was held on 26 March 2017 to elect the members of the Landtag of Saarland.[2][3] The incumbent grand coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) led by Minister-President Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was returned with an increased majority.[4][5]
Background
The 2012 state election was called after the collapse of the Jamaica coalition of the CDU, Free Democratic Party (FDP) and The Greens. The election saw the collapse of the FDP, a downswing for The Left and Greens, gains for the SPD, and the entry of the Pirates. Afterwards, the CDU and SPD formed a grand coalition.[6]
Parties
The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Saarland.
Name | Ideology | Leader(s) | 2012 result | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes (%) | Seats | |||||
bgcolor=Template:Christian Democratic Union of Germany/meta/color | | CDU | Christian Democratic Union of Germany Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands |
Christian democracy | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer | 35.2% | 19 / 51
|
bgcolor=Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color | | SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands |
Social democracy | Anke Rehligner | 30.6% | 17 / 51
|
bgcolor=Template:The Left (Germany)/meta/color | | Linke | The Left Die Linke |
Democratic socialism | Oskar Lafontaine | 16.1% | 9 / 51
|
bgcolor=Template:Pirate Party Germany/meta/color | | Piraten | Pirate Party Germany Piratenpartei Deutschland |
Pirate politics | Gerd Rainer Weber | 7.4% | 4 / 51
|
bgcolor=Template:Alliance 90/The Greens/meta/color | | Grüne | Alliance 90/The Greens Bündnis 90/Die Grünen |
Green politics | Hubert Ulrich Barbara Meyer-Gluche |
5.0% | 2 / 51
|
Opinion polling
Party polling
Publication date | Poll source | ![]() |
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Others | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
style="background:Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:The Left (Germany)/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Pirate Party Germany/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Alliance '90/The Greens/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Alternative for Germany/meta/color;"| | ||||
26 March 2017 | 2017 state election | 40.7 | 29.6 | 12.9 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 1.9 | 11.1 |
23 Mar 2017 | Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 37 | 32 | 12.5 | – | 4.5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
22 Mar 2017 | INSA | 35 | 33 | 13 | – | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
17 Mar 2017 | Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 37 | 32 | 12 | – | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
16 Mar 2017 | Infratest dimap | 35 | 34 | 13 | – | 4.5 | 3 | 6.5 | 4 | 1 |
9 Mar 2017 | Forsa | 34 | 33 | 13 | – | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
7 Mar 2017 | INSA | 36 | 33 | 12 | – | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
26 Jan 2017 | Infratest dimap | 38 | 26 | 14 | – | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
13 Jan 2017 | INSA | 35 | 24 | 16 | – | 6 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 11 |
15 Nov 2016 | Forsa | 37 | 26 | 15 | – | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 11 |
11 May 2016 | Infratest dimap | 34 | 29 | 12 | – | 7 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 5 |
31 Mar 2015 | Infratest dimap | 40 | 33 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
14 May 2014 | Infratest dimap | 37 | 34 | 13 | 2 | 5 | – | 5 | 4 | 3 |
7 May 2013 | Infratest dimap | 39 | 36 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
25 March 2012 | 2012 state election | 35.2 | 30.6 | 16.1 | 7.4 | 5.0 | 1.2 | – | 4.4 | 4.6 |
Minister-President polling
Publication date | Poll source | ![]() |
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None |
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Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer CDU |
Anke Rehlinger SPD |
Heiko Maas SPD | |||
style="background:Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;"| | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;"| | |||
23 Mar 2017 | Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 53.0 | 34.0 | – | 13.0 |
17 Mar 2017 | Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 55.0 | 31.0 | – | 14.0 |
16 Mar 2017 | Infratest dimap | 51.0 | 32.0 | – | 7.0 |
26 Jan 2017 | Infratest dimap | 60.0 | 23.0 | – | 9.0 |
15 Nov 2016 | Forsa | 54.0 | 19.0 | – | – |
11 May 2016 | Infratest dimap | 59.0 | 26.0 | – | 10.0 |
31 Mar 2015 | Infratest dimap | 62.0 | 18.0 | – | 9.0 |
14 May 2014 | Infratest dimap | 53.0 | – | 35.0 | 6.0 |
7 May 2013 | Infratest dimap | 53.0 | – | 36.0 | 7.0 |
Election result
Outcome
Observers were surprised by the CDU's strong performance, as opinion polls predicted a close contest between the CDU and SPD.[7] After the election, several commentators described the results as a boost for the September 2017 electoral prospects of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the CDU,[8][9][10] and as a setback for SPD leader Martin Schulz.[11]
As both the CDU and SPD refused to coalition with AfD, the CDU and SPD coalition reached an agreement to continue governing together after the election.[12]
References
- ^ The party leader: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer Archived 2016-03-02 at the Wayback Machine, cdu-saar.de (German)
- ^ Election dates in Germany, wahlrecht.de (German)
- ^ Vor dem Wahlkampf: Elefantenrunde ohne Berührungsängste, Saarbrücker Zeitung (German), 13 February 2016
- ^ Kramp-Karrenbauer für Fortsetzung der großen Koalition im Saarland, focus.de (German), 2 Oct 2014
- ^ Die „rote Charlotte“ hält sich bereit, Frankfurter Allgemeine (German), 29 May 2015
- ^ Merkel's party wins German state election, AlJazeera (English), 25 March 2012
- ^ Delcker, Janosch (27 March 2017). "Merkel: Embracing 'Grand Coalition' Helped Us Win Saarland". Politico. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Chase, Jefferson (27 March 2017). "Merkel's CDU Savors Local Election Win". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Carrel, Paul; Erdem, Hakan (26 March 2017). "Merkel's Conservatives Win Saarland Vote in Boost for National Campaign". Reuters. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Smale, Alison (26 March 2017). "Angela Merkel's Re-election Bid Is Buoyed by Widely Watched State Election". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Carrel, Paul (27 March 2017). "Germany's 'Schulz Effect' Fails to Deliver in First Election Test". U.S. News & World Report (from Reuters). Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/saarland-cdu-und-spd-unterschreiben-koalitionsvertrag/19809446.html