View source for Social Democratic Party of Germany

{{short description|Centre-left political party in Germany}}
{{Redirect2|German Social Democratic Party|SPD|the defunct Polish party|German Social Democratic Party (Poland)|the Czech party|Freedom and Direct Democracy||SPD (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Social Democratic Party of Germany
| native_name      = Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands
| logo             = SPD-Logo 2022 (rot).svg
| logo_size        = 200
| colorcode        = {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}
| abbreviation     = SPD
| leader1_title    = Co-leaders
| leader1_name     = {{plainlist|
* [[Saskia Esken]]
* [[Lars Klingbeil]]
}}
| general_secretary = [[Matthias Miersch]]
| leader2_title    = Deputy Leaders
| leader2_name     = {{list collapsed|title=''See list''|[[Klara Geywitz]]|[[Hubertus Heil]]|[[Thomas Kutschaty]]|[[Serpil Midyatli]]|[[Anke Rehlinger]]}}
| foundation       = {{start date and age|1875|5|27|df=yes}}
| merger           = {{plainlist|
* [[General German Workers' Association|ADAV]]
* [[Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany|SDAP]]
}}
| headquarters     = {{Lang|de|[[Willy Brandt|Willy-Brandt]]-Haus|italic=no}} D-10911 [[Berlin]]
| newspaper        = {{lang|de|[[Vorwärts]]}}
| student_wing     = {{lang|de|[[Juso-Hochschulgruppen]]}}
| youth_wing       = [[Young Socialists in the SPD]]
| wing1_title      = Women's wing
| wing1            = Association of Social Democratic Women
| wing2_title      = [[LGBT community|LGBT]]+ wing
| wing2            = SPDqueer
| wing3_title      = Paramilitary wing
| wing3            = {{Lang|de|[[Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold]]}} (1924–33)
| membership_year  = 2024
| membership       = {{decrease}} 365,190<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/spd-mitglieder-100.html | title=Bilanz für 2023: SPD verliert fast 15.000 Mitglieder }}</ref>
| ideology         = [[Social democracy]]<br>[[Pro-Europeanism]]
| position         = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| european         = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| international    = [[Progressive Alliance]]
| europarl         = [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]
| colours          = {{colorbox|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border= darkgray}} [[Political colour#Red|Red]]
| seats1_title     = [[Bundestag]]
| seats1           = {{composition bar|207|736|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| seats3_title     = [[Composition of the German state parliaments|State parliaments]]
| seats3           = {{composition bar|453|1894|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats4           = {{composition bar|14|96|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[Minister president (Germany)|Heads of State Governments]]
| seats5           = {{composition bar|7|16|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| flag             = Flag of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.svg
| website          = {{Official URL}}
| country          = Germany
}}
{{Social democracy sidebar}} 
The '''Social Democratic Party of Germany''' ({{lang-de|Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands}}, {{IPA|de|zoˈtsi̯aːldemoˌkʁaːtɪʃə paʁˌtaɪ ˈdɔʏtʃlants|}}, '''SPD''', {{IPA|de|ɛspeːˈdeː|-|De-SPD.ogg}}) is a [[Social democracy|social democratic]]<ref name="reform">{{cite book |title=Social Democracy in Power: the capacity to reform |last1=Merkel |first1=Wolfgang |first2=Alexander |last2=Petring |first3=Christian |last3=Henkes |first4=Christoph |last4=Egle |year=2008 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=London |isbn=978-0-415-43820-9}}</ref><ref name="Almeida">{{cite book |first=Dimitri |last=Almeida |title=The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oD7bKbo0FYEC&pg=PT71 |access-date=14 July 2013 |year=2012 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-136-34039-0 |page=71}}</ref><ref name="Lavelle2013">{{cite book |author=Ashley Lavelle |title=The Death of Social Democracy: Political Consequences in the 21st Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OZ2ajNs-n1IC&pg=PA7 |access-date=18 July 2013 |year=2013 |publisher= Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |isbn=978-1-4094-9872-8 |page=7}}</ref> [[political party in Germany]]. It is one of the [[major parties]] of contemporary Germany. [[Saskia Esken]] has been the party's leader since the [[2019 Social Democratic Party of Germany leadership election|2019 leadership election]] together with [[Lars Klingbeil]], who joined her in December 2021. After [[Olaf Scholz]] was elected [[Chancellor of Germany|chancellor]] in 2021, the SPD became the leading party of the [[Scholz cabinet|federal government]], which the SPD formed with [[Alliance 90/The Greens|the Greens]] and the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]], after the [[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]]. The SPD is a member of 11 of the 16 German [[States of Germany|state]] governments and is a leading partner in seven of them.

The SPD was founded in 1875 from a merger of smaller socialist parties, and grew rapidly after the lifting of Germany's repressive [[Anti-Socialist Laws]] in 1890 to become the largest socialist party in Western Europe until 1933. In 1891, it adopted its [[Marxist]]-influenced [[Erfurt Program]], though in practice it was moderate and focused on building working-class organizations. In the [[1912 German federal election|1912 federal election]], the SPD won 34.8 percent of votes and became the largest party in the [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]], but was still excluded from government. After the start of the [[First World War]] in 1914, the party split between a pro-war mainstream and the anti-war [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]], some members of which later formed the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD). The SPD played a leading role in the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919|German revolution of 1918–1919]] and in the foundation of the [[Weimar Republic]]. The SPD politician [[Friedrich Ebert]] served as the first [[president of Germany]] from 1919 to 1925.

After the rise of the [[Nazi Party]] to power, the SPD was the only party in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] which voted against the [[Enabling Act of 1933]]; the SPD was subsequently banned, and operated in exile as the [[Sopade]]. After the [[Second World War]] from 1939 to 1945, the SPD was re-established. In [[East Germany]], it [[Merger of the KPD and SPD|merged with the KPD under duress]] to form the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]]. In [[West Germany]], the SPD became one of two major parties alongside the [[CDU/CSU]]. In its [[Godesberg Program]] of 1959, the SPD dropped its commitment to Marxism, becoming a [[big tent]] party of the centre-left. The SPD led the federal government from 1969 to 1982 (under [[Willy Brandt]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]]), 1998 to 2005 (under [[Gerhard Schröder]]) and again since 2021. It served as a junior partner to a CDU/CSU-led government from 1966 to 1969, 2005 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2021. During Scholz's chancellorship, the party has set out principles of a new German defence policy in the [[Zeitenwende speech]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Barber |first=Tony |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Year in a word: Zeitenwende |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3d0bfcab-d56c-4527-bf8f-7ed2c7020c7d |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref>

The SPD holds [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] stances and is a member of the [[Party of European Socialists]] and sits with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] group in the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-parties-plan-for-eu-in-election-campaign/ |title=Where German parties stand on Europe |date=28 August 2017 |publisher=Politico |website=politico.eu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Buck |first1=Tobias |date=16 May 2019 |title=Germany's SPD targets voters' emotions with EU poll campaign |newspaper=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> With 14 [[MEPs]], it is the third largest party in the group. The SPD was a founding member of the [[Socialist International]], but the party left in 2013 after criticising its acceptance of parties they consider to be violating human rights.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 January 2012 |title=SPD will Sozialistischer Internationale den Geldhahn zudrehen und den Mitgliedsbeitrag nicht zahlen |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/vorab/a-810543.html |access-date=28 September 2021 |issn=2195-1349}}</ref> The SPD subsequently founded the [[Progressive Alliance]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/progressive-alliance-sozialdemokraten-gruenden-weltweites-netzwerk-a-901352.html |title=Progressive Alliance: Sozialdemokraten gründen weltweites Netzwerk |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |location=Hamburg, Germany |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/sozialdemokratie-progressive-alliance-gegruendet-12191286.html |title=Sozialdemokratie: "Progressive Alliance" gegründet |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]] |access-date=10 May 2015 |last1=Sattar |first1=Majid}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-tv.de/politik/SPD-gruendet-Progressive-Alliance-article10689571.html |title=Sozialistische Internationale hat ausgedient: SPD gründet "Progressive Alliance" |date=22 May 2013 |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref> and was joined by numerous other parties around the world. Previously, the SPD was a founding member of both the [[Second International]] and the [[Labour and Socialist International]].

== History ==
{{main article|History of the Social Democratic Party of Germany}}
The Social Democratic Party has its origins in the [[General German Workers' Association]], founded in 1863, and the [[Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany|Social Democratic Workers' Party]], founded in 1869. The two groups merged in 1875 to create the {{ill|Socialist Workers' Party of Germany (1875)|lt=Socialist Workers' Party of Germany|de|Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands (1875)}} ({{lang-de|link=no|Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands}}). From 1878 to 1890, the [[Anti-Socialist Laws]] banned any group that aimed at spreading [[socialist]] principles, but the party still gained support in elections. In 1890, when the ban was lifted, the party adopted its current name. The SPD was the largest Marxist party in Europe and consistently the most popular party in German federal elections from 1890 onward, although it was surpassed by other parties in terms of seats won in the [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]] due to the electoral system.<ref>Christopher R. Browning, ''The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939 – March 1942'' (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press and Jerusalem: Yad Vashem, 2004), p. 7.</ref>[[File:Reichstagsfraktion1889.jpg|thumb|right|150px|SPD members in Reichstag 1889. Sitting from left to right: [[Georg Schumacher]], [[Friedrich Harm]], [[August Bebel]], [[Heinrich Meister]] and [[Karl Frohme]]. Standing: [[Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Dietz]], [[August Kühn]], [[Wilhelm Liebknecht]], [[Karl Grillenberger]], and [[Paul Singer (politician)|Paul Singer]].]]In the years leading up to [[World War I]], the SPD remained [[Political radicalism|radical]] in principle, but [[Political moderate|moderate]] in reality. According to [[Roger Eatwell]] and Anthony Wright, the SPD became a party of reform, with [[social democracy]] representing "a party that strives after the socialist transformation of society by the means of democratic and economic reforms". They emphasise this development as central to understanding 20th-century social democracy, of which the SPD was a major influence.<ref>Eatwell, Roger; Wright, Anthony (1999). Contemporary Political Ideologies (2nd ed.). London: Continuum. p. 87. {{ISBN|978-1-85567-605-3}}.</ref> In the [[1912 German federal election|1912 federal election]], the SPD won 34.8 per cent of votes and became the largest party in the Reichstag with 110 seats, although it was still excluded from government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elections to the German Reichstag (1871–1890): A Statistical Overview |url=http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/docpage.cfm?docpage_id=3215 |publisher=Nohlen & Stöver}}</ref> Despite the [[Second International]]'s agreement to oppose militarism,<ref>In, for example, the [[International Socialist Congress, Stuttgart 1907]].</ref> the SPD supported the German war effort and adopted a policy, known as {{Lang|de|[[Burgfriedenspolitik]]}}, of refraining from calling strikes or criticising the government.<ref>V. R. Berghahn, ''Germany and the Approach of War in 1914'' (1974) pp. 178–85</ref><ref>Dieter Groh, "The 'Unpatriotic Socialists' and the State." ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 1.4 (1966): 151–77. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/259895 online].</ref> Internal opposition to the policy grew throughout the war. Anti-war members were expelled in 1916 and 1917, leading to the formation of the [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (USPD).<ref>Winkler, ''Der lange Weg nach Westen'', Beck Verlag Munich, 2000, p. 362</ref>

The SPD played a key role in the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919]]. On 9 November 1918, leading SPD member [[Friedrich Ebert]] was designated chancellor and fellow Social Democrat [[Philipp Scheidemann]], on his own authority, [[Proclamation of the republic in Germany|proclaimed Germany a republic]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Haffner|first=Sebastian|title=Die deutsche Revolution 1918/19 (German)|publisher=Kindler|year=2002|isbn=978-3-463-40423-3}}</ref> The government introduced a large number of reforms in the following months, introducing various [[civil liberties]] and [[labor rights]].<ref>The Social Democratic Party of Germany 1848–2005 by Heinrich Potthoff and Susanne Miller</ref> The SPD government, committed to [[parliamentary]] [[liberal democracy]], used military force against more radical [[communist]] groups, leading to a permanent split between the SPD and the [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|USPD]], as well as the [[Spartacus League|Spartacist League]] which would go on to form the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD) and integrate a majority of USPD members as well.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Heiden|first1=Konrad|title=Der Fuehrer: Hitler's Rise to Power|url=https://archive.org/details/derfuehrerhitler00heid|url-access=registration|date=1944|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company|location=Boston, MA|pages=[https://archive.org/details/derfuehrerhitler00heid/page/23 23–24]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=McDermott |first1=Kevin |title=The Comintern: a history of international communism from Lenin to Stalin |last2=Agnew |first2=Jeremy |date=1996 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-333-55284-1 |location=Basingstoke |pages=19}}</ref> The SPD was the largest party during the first 13 years of the new [[Weimar Republic]]. It decisively won the [[1919 German federal election|1919 federal election]] with 37.9 per cent of votes, and Ebert became the first [[President of Germany|president]] in February.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kolb|first=Eberhard|title=The Weimar Republic|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZp9wxPsi_sC&pg=PA226|access-date=10 February 2012|year=2005|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-34441-8|page=226}}</ref> The position of chancellor was held by Social Democrats until the [[1920 German federal election|1920 federal election]], when the SPD lost a substantial portion of its support, falling to 22 per cent of votes. After this, the SPD yielded the chancellery to other parties, although it remained part of the government until 1924. Ebert died in 1925 and was succeeded by conservative [[Paul von Hindenburg]]. After making gains in the [[1928 German federal election|1928 federal election]], the SPD's [[Hermann Müller (politician, born 1876)|Hermann Müller]] became chancellor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz66522.html|title=Biografie Hermann Müller (-Franken) (German)|publisher=Bayerische Nationalbibliothek|access-date=16 December 2013}}</ref>[[File:Three Arrows election poster of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, 1932 - Gegen Papen, Hitler, Thälmann.jpg|thumb|253x253px|A widely publicized SPD election poster from 1932, with the [[Three Arrows]] symbol representing resistance against [[reactionary conservatism]], [[Nazism]] and [[Communism]], and with the slogan "Against Papen, Hitler, Thälmann"]]As Germany was struck hard by the [[Great Depression]], and unable to negotiate an effective response to the crisis, Müller resigned in 1930. The SPD was sidelined as the [[Nazi Party]] gained popularity and conservatives dominated the government, assisted by Hindenburg's frequent use of [[State of emergency|emergency powers]]. The {{Lang|de|[[Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold]]}}, the SPD's paramilitary wing, was frequently involved in violent confrontations with the Nazi ''[[Sturmabteilung]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Die Eiserne Front|url=http://reichsbanner.de/reichsbanner-geschichte/kampf-um-die-republik/eiserne-front/|website=reichsbanner.de|access-date=10 October 2017}}</ref> The Nazis overtook the SPD as the largest party in [[July 1932 German federal election|July 1932]] and [[Adolf Hitler]] was appointed chancellor in January 1933. Of the parties present in the Reichstag during the passage of the [[Enabling Act of 1933]], the SPD was the only one to vote against; most of the communist deputies had been arrested ahead of the vote.<ref>Kitson, Alison. ''Germany, 1858–1990: Hope, Terror, and Revival'', pp. 153–54 (Oxford U. Press 2001).</ref> The SPD was banned in June. Many members were subsequently imprisoned and killed by the [[Government of Nazi Germany|Nazi government]] while others fled the country. The party-in-exile was called [[Sopade]].<ref>William Shirer, ''The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich'' (Touchstone Edition) (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990)</ref>

After the end of [[World War II]], the re-establishment of the SPD was permitted in the [[Allied-occupied Germany|Western occupation zones]] in 1945. In the [[Soviet occupation zone]], the SPD was forcibly merged with the KPD in 1946 to form the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]] (SED). The SED was the ruling party of [[East Germany]] until 1989.<ref>Entscheidung für die SED 1946 – ein Verrat an sozialdemokratischen Idealen?, in: ''[[Jahrbuch für Forschungen zur Geschichte der Arbeiterbewegung]]'', No. I/2004.</ref> In [[West Germany]], the SPD became one of two major parties, alongside the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union (CDU)]]. In the inaugural [[1949 West German federal election|1949 federal election]], it placed second with 29.2 per cent of votes and led the opposition to the CDU government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Election to the 1st German Bundestag on 14 August 1949 |url=http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1949.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009081737/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1949.html |archive-date=9 October 2015 |publisher=Federal Returning Officer}}</ref> In its 1959 [[Godesberg Program]], the party dropped its commitment to Marxism and sought to appeal to [[middle-class|middle class]] voters, becoming a [[big tent]] party of the centre-left.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/pdf/eng/Parties%20WZ%203%20ENG%20FINAL.pdf|title=Godesberg Program in English (PDF)|publisher=German History Documents}}</ref>[[File:SPD Mitgliederentwicklung.svg|thumb|SPD membership statistics (in thousands) since 1945. Despite heavy losses since 1990, the SPD is still the largest party in Germany, ahead of the CDU.]]Although strongly [[leftist]], the SPD was willing to compromise. Only through its support did the governing [[CDU/CSU]] pass a [[de-Nazification|denazification]] law that its coalition partner the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) and the far-right [[German Party (1947)|German Party]] voted against.<ref>{{cite web|title=Schwarz-weiß-rot mit braunen Flecken – Die FDP muß erkennen, daß es rechts von der CDU/CSU nicht viel zu holen gibt|url=https://www.udo-leuschner.de/liberalismus/fdp2.htm|access-date=15 September 2021|website=Udo-leuschner.de}}</ref> At the same time, the SPD opposed the pro-West integration of West Germany because they believed that made a re-unification of Germany impossible. Austria could have become a sovereign neutral state in 1956, but a 1952 Soviet suggestion for Germans to form a neutral state was ignored by the CDU/CSU–FDP government. After 17 years in opposition, the SPD became the junior partner in a [[Grand coalition (Germany)|grand coalition]] with the CDU/CSU which lasted from 1966 to 1969. After the [[1969 West German federal election|1969 federal election]], the SPD's [[Willy Brandt]] became chancellor in a coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party. His government sought to normalise relations with East Germany and the [[Eastern Bloc]], a policy known as ''[[Ostpolitik]]''.<ref>Hofmann, Arne. ''The emergence of détente in Europe: Brandt, Kennedy and the formation of Ostpolitik.'' (Routledge, 2007).</ref> The party achieved its best ever result of 45.8 per cent in [[1972 West German federal election|1972]], one of only three occasions in which it formed the largest [[Bundestag]] faction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Election to the 7th German Bundestag on 19 November 1972 |url=http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1972.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818192903/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1972.html |archive-date=18 August 2015 |publisher=Federal Returning Officer}}</ref> After Brandt's resignation in 1974, his successor [[Helmut Schmidt]] served as chancellor until 1982, when the SPD returned to opposition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2012/40797914_kw40_misstrauensvotum_kalenderblatt/209576|title=Deutscher Bundestag – Das Misstrauensvotum gegen Helmut Schmidt|author=Jan Eisel|date=28 September 2012}}</ref>

During the [[Peaceful Revolution]] in East Germany, the [[Social Democratic Party in the GDR|East German SPD]] was refounded. It merged with the West German party in 1990, shortly before [[German reunification]].<ref>Wolfgang Grof: ''"In der frischen Tradition des Herbstes 1989". Die SDP/SPD in der DDR: Von der Gründung über die Volkskammerarbeit zur deutschen Einheit''</ref> The SPD returned to government under [[Gerhard Schröder]] after the [[1998 German federal election|1998 federal election]] in a coalition with [[Alliance 90/The Greens|The Greens]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Election to the 14th German Bundestag on 27 September 1998 |url=http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1998.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009123644/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1998.html |archive-date=9 October 2015 |publisher=Federal Returning Officer}}</ref> This government was re-elected in [[2002 German federal election|2002]] but defeated in [[2005 German federal election|2005]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Horsley |first=William |date=15 November 2005 |title=Analysis: German Coalition Deal |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4438212.stm |access-date=1 August 2015}}</ref> The SPD then became junior partner of a grand coalition with the CDU/CSU until [[2009 German federal election|2009]]. After a term in opposition, they again served as junior partner to the CDU/CSU after the [[2013 German federal election|2013 federal election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2013/48311241_kw51_kanzlerwahl_nachher/214202|title=Bundeskanzlerin und Bundeskabinett vereidigt|publisher=[[Deutscher Bundestag]]|trans-title=Federal Chancellor and cabinet sworn in|language=de}}</ref> This arrangement was renewed after the [[2017 German federal election|2017 federal election]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Schlee |first=Maxime |date=14 March 2018 |title=Bundestag reelects Merkel as chancellor |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-reelected-as-german-chancellor/ |work=Politico Europe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020125734/https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-reelected-as-german-chancellor/ |archive-date= Oct 20, 2023 }}</ref> SPD narrowly won against the CDU/CSU in the September [[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]], becoming the biggest party in the federal parliament (Bundestag).<ref>{{cite news |last=Henley |first=Jon |date=28 September 2021 |title=After SPD win in Germany, is Europe's centre left on the rise? |language=en |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/28/after-spd-win-in-germany-is-europes-centre-left-on-the-rise |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230919231828/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/28/after-spd-win-in-germany-is-europes-centre-left-on-the-rise |archive-date= Sep 19, 2023 }}</ref> Social Democrat [[Olaf Scholz]] became the new chancellor in December 2021, and formed a coalition government with the Green Party and the Free Democrats.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kinkartz |first1=Sabine |title=Olaf Scholz: Germany's new chancellor is level-headed and pragmatic |date=8 December 2021 |work=DW |url=https://www.dw.com/en/olaf-scholz-germanys-new-chancellor-is-level-headed-and-pragmatic/a-59936379 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315231214/https://www.dw.com/en/olaf-scholz-germanys-new-chancellor-is-level-headed-and-pragmatic/a-59936379 |archive-date= Mar 15, 2024 }}</ref>

== Ideology and platform ==
[[File:SPD Bundesparteitag Leipzig 2013 by Moritz Kosinsky 021.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Sigmar Gabriel]], [[Vice-Chancellor of Germany]] (2013–2018) and former chairman of the SPD]]
The SPD was established as a [[Marxist]] party in 1875. It underwent a major shift in policies, reflected in the differences between the Heidelberg Program of 1925 which called for "the transformation of the capitalist system of private ownership of the means of production to social ownership"<ref>Brustein, William (1996). ''Logic of Evil: The Social Origins of the Nazi Party 1925–1933''. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 131.</ref> and the [[Godesberg Program]] of 1959 which aimed to broaden the party's voter base and to move its political position toward the [[political centre]].<ref>Cooper, Alice Holmes. ''Paradoxes of Peace: German Peace Movements since 1945''. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. p. 85.</ref> After [[World War II]], the SPD was re-formed in [[West Germany]] after being banned by the [[Nazi regime]]; in [[East Germany]], it merged with the [[Communist Party of Germany]] to form the ruling [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]]. Under the chairmanship of [[Kurt Schumacher]], the SPD was a [[socialist]] party representing the interests of the working class and of trade unions. With the 1959 Godesberg Program, the party evolved from a socialist working-class party to a modern social-democratic party working within [[democratic capitalism]]. The SPD's Hamburg Programme, adopted in 2007, describes [[democratic socialism]] as "the vision of a free and fair society in solidarity", which requires "a structure in economy, state and society guaranteeing civil, political, social and economic basic rights for all people living a life without exploitation, suppression and violence, hence in social and human security", the realization of which is emphasized as a "permanent task". [[Social democracy]] serves as the "principle of our actions".<ref>Social Democratic Party of Germany (28 October 2007). [https://www.spd.de/fileadmin/Dokumente/Beschluesse/Grundsatzprogramme/hamburger_programm_englisch.pdf "Hamburg Programme. Principal guidelines of the Social Democratic Party of Germany"] (PDF). Hamburg: Social Democratic Party of Germany. Retrieved 10 July 2020.</ref>

The [[party platform]] of the SPD espouses the goal of democratic socialism, which it envisions as a societal arrangement in which [[freedom]] and [[social justice]] are paramount. According to the party platform, [[political freedom]], [[justice]] and [[social solidarity]] form the basis of social democracy.
* The coordinated [[social market economy]] should be strengthened and its output should be distributed fairly. The party sees that economic system as necessary in order to ensure the affluence of the entire population.
* The SPD also supports a [[welfare state]].
* Concurrently, it supports rather [[austerity|austere]] [[fiscal policy]], being against state run deficits and for reducing debt.
* In [[social policy]], the Social Democrats stand for [[civil and political rights]] in an [[open society]].
* In [[foreign policy]], the party aims at ensuring global peace by balancing global interests with democratic means; [[European integration]] is a main priority. During Scholz's chancellorship, the party has set out principles of a new German defence policy in the [[Zeitenwende speech]].<ref name=":0" /> During the [[Israel–Hamas war]], it authorized substantial German [[Military aid|military]] and medical aid to Israel, denouncing the actions of [[Hamas]] and other [[Palestinian political violence|Palestinian militant groups]].<ref>{{cite news |date=12 November 2023 |title=German Chancellor Opposed To 'Immediate' Ceasefire In Gaza |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/german-chancellor-opposed-to-immediate-ceasefire-in-gaza-0739398a |work=Barron's}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 October 2023 |title=Scholz: Germany has agreed with its partners that Israel has the right to self-defense |url=https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/News/Live_Feed/1393446/schulz--germany-has-agreed-with-its-partners-that-israel-has-the-right-to-self-defense |work=MTV Lebanon}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=November 8, 2023 |title=German arms exports to Israel surge as Berlin backs campaign against Hamas |url=https://www.ft.com/content/1a09622b-91cf-4527-a887-f8f328bd7cad |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2023-12-22 |title=Germany stands firmly alongside Israel {{!}} Federal Government |url=https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/news/germany-stands-by-israel-and-is-seeking-to-bring-about-a-de-escalation-2228294 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Website of the Federal Government {{!}} Bundesregierung |language=en |quote=The Federal Government is also supporting Israel by providing military and medical equipment.}}</ref>
* The SPD supports economic regulations to limit potential losses for banks and people. They support a common European economic and financial policy to prevent speculative bubbles as well as to foster environmentally sustainable growth.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.spd.de/themen/76382/unser_europa.html;jsessionid=B478975DB326963FC52815B6169D48E1|title= Die Europa-Frage(n) &#124; Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)|access-date=28 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121029102124/http://www.spd.de/themen/76382/unser_europa.html |archive-date= 29 October 2012}}</ref>

=== Internal factions ===
The SPD is mostly composed of members belonging to either of the two main wings, namely the [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian]] social democrats and [[Third Way]] moderate social democrats belonging to the [[Seeheimer Kreis]]. While the more moderate Seeheimer Kreis generally support the [[Agenda 2010]] programs introduced by Chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]], the classical social democrats continue to defend classical left-wing policies and the welfare state. The Keynesian left-wing of the SPD claims that in recent years the welfare state has been curtailed through reform programs such as the Agenda 2010, [[Hartz IV]], and the more [[economic liberal]] stance of the SPD which were endorsed by centrist social democrats.<ref name="Centrist">{{cite web|first= Jeremy|last= Cliffe|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2019/12/spd-s-new-left-wing-leadership-could-prove-just-jolt-germany-needs|title=The SPD's new left-wing leadership could prove just the jolt Germany needs |publisher=[[New Statesman America]]|date=1 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="Left-wing">{{cite web|first= Ben|last=Knight|url=https://www.dw.com/en/collectivization-remarks-split-german-social-democrats/a-48578188|title=Collectivization remarks split German Social Democrats|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=2 May 2019}}</ref> In reaction to Agenda 2010, an inner-party dissident movement developed, leading to the foundation of the new party [[Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative]] (''Arbeit & soziale Gerechtigkeit – Die Wahlalternative'', WASG) in 2005, which later merged into [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (''Die Linke'') in 2007.<ref>Nils Schnelle (2007). ''Die WASG – Von der Gründung bis zur geplanten Fusion mit der Linkspartei''. Munich.</ref> The [[Parlamentarische Linke]] comprises left-wing SPD [[Member of the German Bundestag|Members of the German Bundestag]].

== Electorate ==
=== Social structure ===
Prior to World War II, as the main non-revolutionary left-wing party, the Social Democrats fared best among non-[[Catholic]] workers as well as intellectuals favouring [[Social progressivism|social progressive]] causes and increased economic equality. Led by [[Kurt Schumacher]] after World War II, the SPD initially opposed both the [[social market economy]] and [[Konrad Adenauer]]'s drive towards Western integration fiercely; after Schumacher's death, however, it accepted the social market economy and Germany's position in the Western alliance in order to appeal to a broader range of voters. It still remains associated with the economic causes of unionised employees and working class voters. In the 1990s, the left and moderate wings of the party drifted apart, culminating in a secession of a significant number of party members which later joined the socialist party [[Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative|WASG]], which later merged into [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (''Die Linke'').

=== Geographic distribution ===
[[File:SPD Atlas zur Bundestagswahl 2021 in Deutschland.svg|thumb|221x221px|[[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]] SPD results]]
Much of the SPD's current-day support comes from large cities, especially northern and western Germany and [[Berlin]]. As of 2019, 10 of the country's 15 biggest cities are led by SPD mayors. The metropolitan [[Ruhr Area]], where coal mining and steel production were once the main industries, have provided a significant base for the SPD in the 20th century. In the city of [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]], the SPD has continuously governed since 1949.

In southern Germany, the SPD typically garners less support except in the largest cities. At the [[2009 German federal election|2009 federal election]], the party lost its only constituency in the entire state of [[Bavaria]] (in [[Munich]]).

Small town and rural support comes especially from the traditionally [[Protestant]] areas of northern Germany and [[Brandenburg]] (with previous exceptions such as [[Western Pomerania]] where CDU leader [[Angela Merkel]] held her constituency, which the SPD gained in 2021) and a number of university towns. A striking example of the general pattern is the traditionally Catholic [[Emsland]], where the Social Democrats generally gain a low percentage of votes, whereas the [[Reformed churches|Reformed Protestant]] region of [[East Frisia]] directly to the north, with its strong traditional streak of [[anti-Catholicism]], is one of their strongest constituencies.

Further south, the SPD also enjoys solid support in northern [[Hesse]], parts of [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]] and the [[Saarland]]. The social democrats are weakest in the south-eastern states of Bavaria, [[Saxony]] and [[Thuringia]], where the party's percentage of votes dropped to single-digit figures in the 2018 and 2019 elections. In 2021, it significantly increased its vote share in the states of the former east.

== Post-war leadership ==
{{see also|Leader of the Social Democratic Party}}
The federal leader is supported by six Deputy Leaders and the [[SPD Party Executive Committee|party executive]]. As of 2021, the leaders are [[Saskia Esken]] and [[Norbert Walter-Borjans]]. The previous leader was [[Andrea Nahles]], who announced her pending resignation on 2 June 2019. As Germany is a [[federal republic]], each of Germany's states have their own SPD party at the state level.

{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}

=== Party leaders ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Leader
!Year
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |1 
|style="width:200px;"|[[Kurt Schumacher]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1946–1952
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |2
|style="width:200px;"|[[Erich Ollenhauer]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1952–1963
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |3
|style="width:200px;"|[[Willy Brandt]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1964–1987
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |4
|style="width:200px;"|[[Hans-Jochen Vogel]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1987–1991
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |5
|style="width:200px;"|[[Björn Engholm]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1991–1993
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |6
|style="width:200px;"|[[Rudolf Scharping]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1993–1995
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |7
|style="width:200px;"|[[Oskar Lafontaine]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1995–1999
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |8
|style="width:200px;"|[[Gerhard Schröder]]
|style="width:125px;"| 1999–2004
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |9
|style="width:200px;"|[[Franz Müntefering]] <small>(1st term)</small>
|2004–2005
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |10
|style="width:200px;"|[[Matthias Platzeck]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2005–2006
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |11
|style="width:200px;"|[[Kurt Beck]]
| 2006–2008
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |12<br>{{small|(9)}}
|style="width:200px;"|Franz Müntefering <small>(2nd term)</small>
|style="width:125px;"| 2008–2009
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |13
|style="width:200px;"|[[Sigmar Gabriel]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2009–2017
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |14
|style="width:200px;"|[[Martin Schulz]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2017–2018
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |15
|style="width:200px;"|[[Andrea Nahles]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2018–2019
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |16
|style="width:200px;"|[[Saskia Esken]] &<br>[[Norbert Walter-Borjans]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2019–2021
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |17
|style="width:200px;"|[[Saskia Esken]] & [[Lars Klingbeil]]
|style="width:125px;"| 2021–present
|-
|}
{{col-2}}

=== Leaders in the Bundestag ===
From August until October 2010, senior Bundestag member Joachim Poß served as interim Bundestag leader in the absence of [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]], who was recovering from donating a kidney to his wife.
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Leader
!Year
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |1
|[[Kurt Schumacher]]
| 1949–1952
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |2
|[[Erich Ollenhauer]]
| 1952–1963
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |3
|[[Fritz Erler (politician)|Fritz Erler]]
| 1964–1967
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |4
|[[Helmut Schmidt]]
| 1967–1969
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |5
|[[Herbert Wehner]]
| 1969–1983
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |6
|[[Hans-Jochen Vogel]]
| 1983–1991
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |7
|[[Hans-Ulrich Klose]]
| 1991–1994
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |8
|[[Rudolf Scharping]]
| 1994–1998
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |9
|[[Peter Struck (politician)|Peter Struck]] <small>(1st term)</small>
| 1998–2002
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |10
|[[Ludwig Stiegler]]
| 2002
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |11
|[[Franz Müntefering]]
| 2002–2005
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |(9)
|Peter Struck <small>(2nd term)</small>
| 2005–2009
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |12
|[[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]]
| 2009–2013
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |13
|[[Thomas Oppermann]]
| 2013–2017
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |14
|[[Andrea Nahles]]
| 2017–2019
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}; color:white;" |15
|[[Rolf Mützenich]]
| 2019–present
|-
|}
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}

{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}

=== Federal presidents ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
|[[Gustav Heinemann]] || 1969–1974
|-
|[[Johannes Rau]] || 1999–2004
|-
|[[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] || 2017–present
|}

=== Federal chancellors ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
![[Chancellor of Germany]] !! Time in office
|-
|[[Willy Brandt]] || 1969–1974
|-
|[[Helmut Schmidt]] || 1974–1982
|-
|[[Gerhard Schröder]] || 1998–2005
|-
|[[Olaf Scholz]] || 2021–present
|}
{{col-2}}

=== Vice chancellors ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
![[Vice-Chancellor of Germany|Vice Chancellor of Germany]] !! Time in office
|-
|[[Willy Brandt]] || 1966–1969
|-
|[[Egon Franke (politician)|Egon Franke]] || 1982
|-
|[[Franz Müntefering]] || 2005–2007
|-
|[[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] || 2007–2009
|-
|[[Sigmar Gabriel]] || 2013–2018
|-
|[[Olaf Scholz]] || 2018–2021
|-
|}
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}

=== State-level ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!State
!Leader
!Seats
!Government
|-
![[Baden-Württemberg]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Stoch, Andreas" Leni"|[[Andreas Stoch]]
|{{composition bar|19|143|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[Bavaria]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Kohnen, Natascha"|[[Natascha Kohnen]]
|{{composition bar|17|203|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[Berlin]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Giffey, Franziska" "Raed, Saleh"|[[Franziska Giffey]] &<br/>[[Raed Saleh]]
|{{composition bar|38|160|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
|-
![[Brandenburg]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Woidke, Dietmar"|[[Dietmar Woidke]]
|{{composition bar|25|88|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–CDU–Greens}}
|-
![[Bremen]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Aulepp, Sascha Karolin"|[[Sascha Karolin Aulepp]]
|{{composition bar|30|83|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–Greens–Left}}
|-
![[Hamburg]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Leonhard, Melanie"|[[Melanie Leonhard]]
|{{composition bar|51|121|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–Greens}}
|-
![[Hesse]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Faeser, Nancy"|[[Nancy Faeser]]
|{{composition bar|23|133|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
|-
![[Lower Saxony]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Weil, Stephan"|[[Stephan Weil]]
|{{composition bar|55|137|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–Greens}}
|-
![[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Schwesig, Manuela"|[[Manuela Schwesig]]
|{{composition bar|34|71|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–Left}}
|-
![[North Rhine-Westphalia]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Kutschaty, Thomas"|[[Thomas Kutschaty]]
|{{composition bar|56|195|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[Rhineland-Palatinate]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Lewentz, Roger"|[[Roger Lewentz]]
|{{composition bar|39|101|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|SPD–Greens–FDP}}
|-
![[Saarland]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Rehlinger, Anke"|[[Anke Rehlinger]]
|{{composition bar|29|51|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|-
![[Saxony]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Dulig, Martin"|[[Martin Dulig]]
|{{composition bar|18|126|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|CDU–Greens–SPD}}
|-
![[Saxony-Anhalt]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Kleemann, Juliane" "Schmidt Andreas"|{{ill|Juliane Kleemann|de}} &<br>{{ill|Andreas Schmidt (politician)|de|Andreas Schmidt (Politiker, 1970)|lt=Andreas Schmidt}}
|{{composition bar|11|87|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|CDU–SPD–FDP}}
|-
![[Schleswig-Holstein]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Midyatli Serpil"|[[Serpil Midyatli]]
|{{Composition bar|21|73|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[Thuringia]]
|align=left data-sort-value="Maier Georg"|[[Georg Maier (politician)|Georg Maier]]
|{{composition bar|13|91|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|{{yes2|Left–SPD–Greens}}
|}

== Election results ==
[[File:German parliamentary elections diagram.svg|thumb|Election results and governments since 1949|266x266px]]
The SPD, at times called SAPD, took part in general elections determining the composition of parliament. For elections up until 1933, the parliament was called the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]], except for the one of 1919 which was called the National Assembly and since 1949 the parliament is called [[Bundestag]]. Note that changes in borders (1871, 1919, 1920, 1949, 1957 and 1990) varied the number of eligible voters whereas electoral laws also changed the ballot system (only constituencies until 1912, only party lists until 1949 and a mixed system thereafter), the suffrage (women vote since 1919; minimum active voting age was 25 till 1918, 20 till 1946, 21 till 1972 and 18 since), the number of seats (fixed or flexible) and the length of the legislative period (three or four years). The list begins after the SPD was formed in 1875, when labour parties unified to form the SPD (then SAPD, current name since 1890).

=== Imperial Germany (''Reichstag'') ===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Status
|-
! [[1877 German federal election|1877]]
| 493,447
| 9.1 (#4)
| {{composition bar|13|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1878 German federal election|1878]]
| 437,158
| 7.6 (#5)
| {{composition bar|9|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1881 German federal election|1881]]
| 311,961
| 6.1 (#7)
| {{composition bar|13|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1884 German federal election|1884]]
| 549,990
| 9.7 (#5)
| {{composition bar|24|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 11
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1887 German federal election|1887]]
| 763,102
| 10.1 (#5)
| {{composition bar|11|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 13
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1890 German federal election|1890]]
| 1,427,323
| 19.7 (#1)
| {{composition bar|35|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 24
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1893 German federal election|1893]]
| 1,786,738
| 23.3 (#1)
| {{composition bar|44|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1898 German federal election|1898]]
| 2,107,076
| 27.2 (#1)
| {{composition bar|56|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1903 German federal election|1903]]
| 3,010,771
| 31.7 (#1)
| {{composition bar|81|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 25
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1907 German federal election|1907]]
| 3,259,029
| 28.9 (#1)
| {{composition bar|43|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 38
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan=2|[[1912 German federal election|1912]]
| rowspan=2|4,250,399
| rowspan=2|34.8 (#1)
| rowspan=2|{{composition bar|110|397|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| rowspan=2|{{increase}} 67
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1912–1918)}}}}
|-
| {{yes2|Coalition {{small|(1918)}}}}
|}

=== Weimar Republic (''Reichstag'') ===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Status
|-
! [[1919 German federal election|1919]]
| 11,516,852
| 37.9 (#1)
| {{composition bar|165|423|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 55
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! rowspan=5|[[1920 German federal election|1920]]
| rowspan=5|6,179,991
| rowspan=5|21.9 (#1)
| rowspan=5|{{composition bar|103|459|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| rowspan=5|{{decrease}} 62
| {{partial2|External support {{small|(1920–1921)}}}}
|-
| {{yes2|Coalition {{small|(1921–1922)}}}}
|-
| {{yes-no|External support {{small|(1922–1923)}}}}
|-
| {{yes2|Coalition {{small|(1923)}}}}
|-
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1923–1924)}}}}
|-
! [[May 1924 German federal election|May 1924]]
| 6,008,905
| 20.5 (#1)
| {{composition bar|100|472|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan=3|[[December 1924 German federal election|Dec 1924]]
| rowspan=3|7,881,041
| rowspan=3|26.0 (#1)
| rowspan=3|{{composition bar|131|493|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| rowspan=3|{{increase}} 31
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1924–1926)}}}}
|-
| {{yes-no|External support {{small|(1926–1927)}}}}
|-
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1927–1928)}}}}
|-
! [[1928 German federal election|1928]]
| 9,152,979
| 29.8 (#1)
| {{composition bar|153|491|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 22
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1930 German federal election|1930]]
| 8,575,244
| 24.5 (#1)
| {{composition bar|143|577|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[July 1932 German federal election|Jul 1932]]
| 7,959,712
| 21.6 (#2)
| {{composition bar|133|608|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[November 1932 German federal election|Nov 1932]]
| 7,247,901
| 20.4 (#2)
| {{composition bar|121|584|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 12
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[March 1933 German federal election|Mar 1933]]
| 7,181,629
| 18.3 (#2)
| {{composition bar|120|667|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[November 1933 German parliamentary election|Nov 1933]]
| colspan=6{{CNone|{{center|{{small|Banned. The [[Nazi Party]] was the sole legal party.}}}}}}
|-
! [[1936 German parliamentary election and referendum|1936]]
| colspan=6{{CNone|{{center|{{small|Banned. The Nazi Party was the sole legal party.}}}}}}
|-
! [[1938 German parliamentary election and referendum|1938]]
| colspan=6{{CNone|{{center|{{small|Banned. The Nazi Party was the sole legal party.}}}}}}
|}

=== Federal parliament (''Bundestag'') ===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:right;"
|-
! rowspan=2| Election
! rowspan=2| Candidate
! colspan=2| Constituency
! colspan=2| Party list
! rowspan=2| Seats
! rowspan=2| +/–
! rowspan=2| Status
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
! [[1949 West German federal election|1949]]
| align=left| [[Kurt Schumacher]]
| bgcolor="lightgrey" colspan="2"|
| 6,934,975
| 29.2 (#2)
| {{composition bar|131|402|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1953 West German federal election|1953]]
| rowspan=2 align=left| [[Erich Ollenhauer]]
| 8,131,257
| 29.5 (#2)
| 7,944,943
| 28.8 (#2)
| {{composition bar|162|509|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 22
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1957 West German federal election|1957]]
| 11,975,400
| 32.0 (#2)
| 9,495,571
| 31.8 (#2)
| {{composition bar|181|519|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 19
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1961 West German federal election|1961]]
| rowspan=5 align=left| [[Willy Brandt]]
| 11,672,057
| 36.5 (#1)
| 11,427,355
| 36.2 (#1)
| {{composition bar|203|521|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 22
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan=2| [[1965 West German federal election|1965]]
| rowspan=2| 12,998,474
| rowspan=2| 40.1 (#1)
| rowspan=2| 12,813,186
| rowspan=2| 39.3 (#1)
| rowspan=2| {{composition bar|217|518|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| rowspan=2| {{increase}} 14
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1965–1966)}}}}
|-
| {{yes2|[[CDU/CSU]]–SPD {{small|(1966–1969)}}}}
|-
! [[1969 West German federal election|1969]]
| 14,402,374
| 44.0 (#1)
| 14,065,716
| 42.7 (#1)
| {{composition bar|237|518|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 20
| {{yes|SPD–[[FDP (Deutschland)|FDP]]}}
|-
! [[1972 West German federal election|1972]]
| 18,228,239
| 48.9 (#1)
| 17,175,169
| 45.8 (#1)
| {{composition bar|242|518|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{yes|SPD–[[FDP (Deutschland)|FDP]]}}
|-
! [[1976 West German federal election|1976]]
| rowspan=3 align=left| [[Helmut Schmidt]]
| 16,471,321
| 43.7 (#1)
| 16,099,019
| 42.6 (#1)
| {{composition bar|224|518|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 18
| {{yes|SPD–[[FDP (Deutschland)|FDP]]}}
|-
! rowspan=2| [[1980 West German federal election|1980]]
| rowspan=2| 16,808,861
| rowspan=2| 44.5 (#1)
| rowspan=2| 16,260,677
| rowspan=2| 42.9 (#1)
| rowspan=2| {{composition bar|228|519|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| rowspan=2| {{increase}} 4
| {{yes|SPD–[[FDP (Deutschland)|FDP]] {{small|(1980–1982)}}}}
|-
| {{no2|Opposition {{small|(1982–1983)}}}}
|-
! [[1983 West German federal election|1983]]
| align=left| [[Hans-Jochen Vogel]]
| 15,686,033
| 40.4 (#2)
| 14,865,807
| 38.2 (#1)
| {{composition bar|202|520|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 26
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1987 West German federal election|1987]]
| align=left| [[Johannes Rau]]
| 14,787,953
| 39.2 (#1)
| 14,025,763
| 37.0 (#1)
| {{composition bar|193|519|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 9
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1990 German federal election|1990]]
| align=left| [[Oskar Lafontaine]]
| 16,279,980
| 35.2 (#2)
| 15,545,366
| 33.5 (#2)
| {{composition bar|239|662|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 46
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1994 German federal election|1994]]
| align=left| [[Rudolf Scharping]]
| 17,966,813
| 38.3 (#1)
| 17,140,354
| 36.4 (#1)
| {{composition bar|252|672|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 13
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1998 German federal election|1998]]
| rowspan=3 align=left| [[Gerhard Schröder]]
| 21,535,893
| 43.8 (#1)
| 20,181,269
| 40.9 (#1)
| {{composition bar|298|669|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 43
| {{yes|SPD–[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]}}
|-
! [[2002 German federal election|2002]]
| 20,059,967
| 41.9 (#1)
| 18,484,560
| 38.5 (#1)
| {{composition bar|251|603|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 47
| {{yes|SPD–[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]}}
|-
! [[2005 German federal election|2005]]
| 18,129,100
| 38.4 (#1)
| 16,194,665
| 34.2 (#1)
| {{composition bar|222|614|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 29
| {{yes2|[[CDU/CSU]]–SPD}}
|-
! [[2009 German federal election|2009]]
| align=left| [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]]
| 12,077,437
| 27.9 (#2)
| 9,988,843
| 23.0 (#2)
| {{composition bar|146|622|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 76
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2013 German federal election|2013]]
| align=left| [[Peer Steinbrück]]
| 12,835,933
| 29.4 (#2)
| 11,247,283
| 25.7 (#2)
| {{composition bar|193|630|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 42
| {{yes2|[[CDU/CSU]]–SPD}}
|-
! [[2017 German federal election|2017]]
| align=left| [[Martin Schulz]]
| 11,426,613
| 24.6 (#2)
| 9,538,367
| 20.5 (#2)
| {{composition bar|153|709|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 40
| {{yes2|[[CDU/CSU]]–SPD}}
|-
! [[2021 German federal election|2021]]
| align=left| [[Olaf Scholz]]
| 12,227,998
| 26.4 (#1)
| 11,949,374
| 25.7 (#1)
| {{composition bar|206|736|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 53
| {{yes|SPD–[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]–[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]}}
|}

{{Gallery
|width=160|height=170
|align=center
|File:Karte der Reichstagswahlen 1912 en.png
|Constituency results, 1912
|File:Wahl zur Nationalversammlung 1919.svg
| [[Weimar National Assembly|Constituency results, 1919]]
|File:Reichstagswahl 1928.svg
|Constituency results, 1928
|File:Bundestagswahl 1953 - Ergebnisse Wahlkreise.png 
|Constituency results, 1953
|File:Bundestagswahl 1972 - Ergebnisse Wahlkreise.png
|Constituency results, 1972
|File:Bundestagswahl 1990 Wahlkreisergebnisse.svg
|Constituency results, 1990
|File:Bundestagswahl 1998 Wahlkreisergebnisse.svg
|Constituency results, 1998
|File:Erststimmenmehrheiten Bundestagswahl 2021.svg
|Constituency results, 2021
}}

=== European Parliament ===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:center;"
|-
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! EP Group
|-
! [[1979 European Parliament election in West Germany|1979]]
| 11,370,045
| 40.83 (#1)
| {{composition bar|33|81|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| New
| rowspan="3" | [[Group of the Party of European Socialists|SOC]]
|-
! [[1984 European Parliament election in West Germany|1984]]
| 9,296,417
| 37.41 (#2)
| {{composition bar|32|81|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[1989 European Parliament election in West Germany|1989]]
| 10,525,728
| 37.32 (#1)
| {{composition bar|30|81|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
! [[1994 European Parliament election in Germany|1994]]
| 11,389,697
| 32.16 (#1)
| {{composition bar|40|99|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 10
| rowspan="3" | [[Group of the Party of European Socialists|PES]]
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in Germany|1999]]
| 8,307,085
| 30.70 (#2)
| {{composition bar|33|99|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in Germany|2004]]
| 5,547,971
| 21.52 (#2)
| {{composition bar|23|99|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10
|-
! [[2009 European Parliament election in Germany|2009]]
| 5,472,566
| 20.78 (#2)
| {{composition bar|23|99|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| rowspan="4" | [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in Germany|2014]]
| 7,999,955
| 27.26 (#2)
| {{composition bar|27|96|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
|-
! [[2019 European Parliament election in Germany|2019]]
| 5,914,953
| 15.82 (#3)
| {{composition bar|16|96|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 11
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in Germany|2024]]
| 5,548,528
| 13.94 (#3)
| {{composition bar|14|96|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|}

=== State parliaments (''Länder'') ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
! State parliament
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Status
|-
! [[Landtag of Baden-Württemberg|Baden-Württemberg]]
| align=center| [[2021 Baden-Württemberg state election|2021]]
| 535,462
| 11.0 (#3)
| {{composition bar|19|154|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| {{no2|Opposition Leader}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Bavaria|Bavaria]]
| align=center| [[2023 Bavarian state election|2023]]
| 1,140,585
| 8.4 (#5)
| {{composition bar|17|203|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin|Berlin]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2023 Berlin repeat state election|2023]]
| 278,978
| 18.4 (#2)
| {{composition bar|34|147|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2024 Brandenburg state election|2024]]
| 463,678
| 30.89 (#1)
| {{composition bar|32|88|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| TBD
|-
! [[Bürgerschaft of Bremen|Bremen]]
| align=center| [[2023 Bremen state election|2023]]
| 376,610
| 29.8 (#1)
| {{composition bar|27|84|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{yes|SPD–Greens–Left}}
|-
! [[Hamburg Parliament|Hamburg]]
| align=center| [[2020 Hamburg state election|2020]]
| 1,554,760
| 39.0 (#1)
| {{composition bar|54|123|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{yes|SPD–Greens}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Hesse|Hesse]]
| align=center| [[2023 Hessian state election|2023]]
| 424,487
| 15.1 (#3)
| {{composition bar|23|133|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Lower Saxony|Lower Saxony]]
| data-sort-value="2022-10-09" align=center| [[2022 Lower Saxony state election|2022]]
| 1,211,418
| 33.4 (#1)
| {{composition bar|57|146|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{yes|SPD–Greens}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election|2021]]
| 361,761
| 39.6 (#1)
| {{composition bar|34|79|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| {{yes|SPD–Left}}
|-
! [[Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia|North Rhine-Westphalia]]
| align=center| [[2022 North Rhine-Westphalia state election|2022]]
| 1,905,002
| 26.7 (#2)
| {{composition bar|56|195|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 13
| {{no2|Opposition Leader}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate|Rhineland-Palatinate]]
| data-sort-value="2022-05-15" align=center| [[2021 Rhineland-Palatinate state election|2021]]
| 691,055
| 35.7 (#1)
| {{composition bar|39|101|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| {{yes|SPD–Greens–FDP}}
|-
! [[Landtag of the Saarland|Saarland]]
| data-sort-value="2022-03-27" align=center| [[2022 Saarland state election|2022]]
| 196,799
| 43.5 (#1)
| {{composition bar|29|51|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
|-
! [[Landtag of the Free State of Saxony|Saxony]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2024 Saxony state election|2024]]
| 172,002
| 7.3 (#4)
| {{composition bar|10|119|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| TBD
|-
! [[Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt|Saxony-Anhalt]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2021 Saxony-Anhalt state election|2021]]
| 89,475
| 8.4 (#4)
| {{composition bar|9|97|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD–FDP}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig-Holstein]]
| data-sort-value="2022-05-08" align=center| [[2022 Schleswig-Holstein state election|2022]]
| 221,536
| 16.0 (#3)
| {{composition bar|12|69|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 9
| {{no2|Opposition Leader}}
|-
! [[Landtag of Thuringia|Thuringia]] {{efn|(formerly part of [[East Germany]])}}
| align=center| [[2024 Thuringian state election|2024]]
| 73,088
| 6.1 (#5)
| {{composition bar|6|90|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| TBD
|}


{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+'''Best historic results for state parties'''
!State
!Seats / Total
! %
!Position/Gov.
!Year
!Lead Candidate
|-
| [[Landtag of Baden-Württemberg|Baden-Württemberg]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|46|146|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 29.4 (#2)
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1992 Baden-Württemberg state election|1992]]
| [[Dieter Spöri]] (Deputy Minister-President 1992–1996)
|-
| [[Landtag of Bavaria|Bavaria]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|61|204|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 28.1 (#2)
| {{yes2|SPD–BP–GB/BHE–FDP}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1954 Bavarian state election|1954]]
| [[Wilhelm Hoegner]] (Minister-President 1954–1957)
|-
| [[Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin|Berlin]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|89|140|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 61.9 (#1)
| {{yes2|SPD–FDP}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1963 West Berlin state election|1963]]
| [[Willy Brandt]] (Governing Mayor 1957–1966)
|-
| [[Landtag of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|52|88|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 54.1 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1994 Brandenburg state election|1994]]
| [[Manfred Stolpe]] (Minister-President 1990–2002)
|-
| [[Bürgerschaft of Bremen|Bremen]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|59|100|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 55.3 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1971
| [[Hans Koschnick]] (President of the Senate and Mayor 1967–1985)
|-
| [[Hamburg Parliament|Hamburg]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|74|120|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 59.0 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1966 Hamburg state election|1966]]
| [[Herbert Weichmann]] (First Mayor 1965–1971)
|-
| [[Landtag of Hesse|Hesse]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|52|96|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 51.0 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1966
| [[Georg-August Zinn]] (Minister-President 1950–1969)
|-
| [[Landtag of Lower Saxony|Lower Saxony]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|83|157|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 47.9 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1998 Lower Saxony state election|1998]]
| [[Gerhard Schröder]] (Minister-President 1990–1998)
|-
| [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|{{nowrap|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|34|79|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 39.6 (#1)
| {{yes2|SPD–Left}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election|2021]]
| [[Manuela Schwesig]] (Minister-President 2017–)
|-
| [[Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia|{{nowrap|North Rhine-Westphalia}}]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|125|227|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 52.1 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1985
| [[Johannes Rau]] (Minister-President 1978–1998)
|-
| [[Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate|Rhineland-Palatinate]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|53|101|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 45.6 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2006 Rhineland-Palatinate state election|2006]]
| [[Kurt Beck]] (Minister-President 1994–2013)
|-
| [[Landtag of the Saarland|Saarland]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|30|51|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 54.4 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1990 Saarland state election|1990]]
| [[Oskar Lafontaine]] (Minister-President 1985–1998)
|-
| [[Landtag of the Free State of Saxony|Saxony]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|18|126|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 12.4 (#3)
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2014 Saxony state election|2014]]
| [[Martin Dulig]] (Deputy Minister-President 2014–2019)
|-
| [[Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt|Saxony-Anhalt]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|47|116|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 35.9 (#1)
| {{yes2|SPD minority}}<br /><small>''with PDS confidence and supply''</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1998 Saxony-Anhalt state election|1998]]
| [[Reinhard Höppner]] (Minister-President 1994–2002)
|-
| [[Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig-Holstein]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|46|74|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 54.7 (#1)
| {{yes|SPD majority}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1988 Schleswig-Holstein state election|1988]]
| [[Björn Engholm]] (Minister-President 1988–1993)
|-
| [[Landtag of Thuringia|Thuringia]]
| style="text-align:center;"| {{composition bar|29|88|hex={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
| 29.6 (#2)
| {{yes2|CDU–SPD}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[1994 Thuringian state election|1994]]
| [[Gerd Schuchardt]] (Deputy Minister-President 1994–1999)
|}

===Results timeline===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%; text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Germany}}<br>[[Germany|DE]]
! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|European Union}}<br>EU
! rowspan=2 class="unsortable"| 
! colspan=3| {{flagicon|Baden-Württemberg}}<br>[[Baden-Württemberg|BW]]
! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Bavaria}}<br>[[Bavaria|BY]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Berlin}}<br>[[Berlin|BE]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Brandenburg}}<br>[[Brandenburg|BB]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Bremen}}<br>[[Bremen (state)|HB]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Hamburg}}<br>[[Hamburg|HH]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Hesse}}<br>[[Hesse|HE]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Lower Saxony}}<br>[[Lower Saxony|NI]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}<br>[[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|MV]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|North Rhine-Westphalia}}<br>[[North Rhine-Westphalia|NW]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Rhineland-Palatinate}}<br>[[Rhineland-Palatinate|RP]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Saarland}}<br>[[Saarland|SL]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Saxony}}<br>[[Saxony|SN]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Saxony-Anhalt}}<br>[[Saxony-Anhalt|ST]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Schleswig-Holstein}}<br>[[Schleswig-Holstein|SH]] !! rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Thuringia}}<br>[[Thuringia|TH]]
|-
! class="unsortable"| {{flagicon|Baden}}<br>[[South Baden|SB]]
! class="unsortable"| [[File:Flag of Württemberg-Baden.svg|25px|border]]<br>[[Württemberg-Baden|WB]]
! class="unsortable"| {{flagicon|Württemberg-Hohenzollern}}<br>[[Württemberg-Hohenzollern|WH]]
|-
! 1946
| rowspan=3| ''N/A''
| rowspan=33| ''N/A''
| rowspan=81 bgcolor=lightgrey| 
| 
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 31.9
| 
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 28.6<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Social Union in Bavaria}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 48.7<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Socialist Unity Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4| {{efn|name="SED"|The eastern sections of the SPD were forcibly merged into the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany|SED]] prior to the 1946 elections in the eastern zone.}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 47.6<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 43.1
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 42.7
| 
| rowspan=4| {{efn|name="SED"}}
| 
| 
| 
| rowspan=4| {{efn|name="SED"}}
| rowspan=4| {{efn|name="SED"}}
| 
| rowspan=4| {{efn|name="SED"}}
|-
! 1947
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 22.4<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 20.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.7
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Communist Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 43.4
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 32.0
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 34.3
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 32.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 43.8
|-
! 1948
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''64.5'''<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#0047AB|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Communist Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#0047AB|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Communist Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|#11BB44|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1949
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| 29.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.8
|-
! 1950
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 33.0<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.0<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Social Union in Bavaria}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 44.7
| rowspan=41| ''N/A''
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.4
| rowspan=41| ''N/A''
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 32.3
| rowspan=41| ''N/A''
| rowspan=41| ''N/A''
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.5
| rowspan=41| ''N/A''
|-
! 1951
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.1
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.7
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.0
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
|-
! 1952
| colspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| 28.0<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}<hr>
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#0047AB|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.4<br>{{Colour box|#11BB44|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1953
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.8
| colspan=3 rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.2
|-
! 1954
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 28.1
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 44.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.6
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.5
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 33.2
|-
! 1955
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#386ABC|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 47.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.7
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.1
|-
! 1956
| colspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 28.9
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#0047AB|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1957
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 31.8
| colspan=3 rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 53.9
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#808080|border=silver}}
|-
! 1958
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 52.6
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 46.9
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.9
|-
! 1959
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 54.9
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.9
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| <hr>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1960
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.3
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.0
|-
! 1961
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 57.4
|-
! 1962
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.3
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 50.8
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 43.3
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.2
|-
! 1963
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 61.9
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 54.7
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#C3C318|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.9
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.7
|-
! 1964
| colspan=3 rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.3
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}<hr>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1965
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.3
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.7
|-
! 1966
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| colspan=3 rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''35.8'''
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''59.0'''
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''51.0'''
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 49.5
|-
! 1967
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 56.9
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 46.0
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.1
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.8
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.4
|-
! 1968
| colspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.0
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1969
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.7
| colspan=3 rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1970
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 55.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.9
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 46.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 46.1
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.8
|-
! 1971
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 50.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''55.3'''
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.0
|-
! 1972
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''45.8'''
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''37.6'''
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1973
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1974
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.0
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.2
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.1<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1975
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 48.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.1
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.5
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.8
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.1
|-
! 1976
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.6
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.3
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1977
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1978
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 31.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 51.5
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.3
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.2
|-
! 1979
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| '''40.8'''
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.7<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 48.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.3
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.7
|-
! 1980
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.9
| colspan=3 rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 48.4
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.4
|-
! 1981
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.3
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! rowspan=2| 1982
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="border-top-style:hidden"| 
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 31.9
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.7
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.8
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.5
|-
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 51.3
|-
! 1983
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 51.3
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 46.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 43.7
|-
! 1984
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.4
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}<hr>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1985
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''52.1'''
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 49.2
|-
! 1986
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.5
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.7
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.1
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1987
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.0
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 50.5
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.0
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.8
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.2
|-
! 1988
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.0
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''54.8'''
|-
! 1989
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.3<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1990
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 26.0
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| 38.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| 27.0
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 50.0
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''54.4'''
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| 19.1
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| 26.0
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| 22.8
|-
! 1991
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.8
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 48.0<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.8
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1992
| colspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 46.2
|-
! 1993
| colspan=3 rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1994
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.4
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.0
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''54.1'''
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#00008B|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.3
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 29.5
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 49.4
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 16.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.0
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''29.6'''
|-
! 1995
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.0
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 46.0
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1996
| colspan=3 rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 25.1
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.8
|-
! 1997
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1998
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.9
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.7
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''47.9'''
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''35.9'''
|-
! 1999
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.7
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 22.4<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.6
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.4
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 44.4
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 10.7
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 18.5
|-
! 2000
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 43.1
|-
! rowspan=2| 2001
| colspan=3 rowspan=6 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 33.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.5
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.8
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
|-
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 29.7
|-
! 2002
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''40.6'''
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.0
|-
! 2003
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 19.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.3
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.1
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2004
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 21.5
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.9
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.5
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.8
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 9.8
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 14.5
|-
! 2005
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.1
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.7
|-
! 2006
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| colspan=3 rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 25.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} '''45.6'''
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 21.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2007
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.7
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2008
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 18.6
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.1
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.7
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.3
|-
! 2009
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.0
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 33.0
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.7
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 24.5
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 10.4
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 25.4
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 18.5
|-
! 2010
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.5<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2011
| colspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.1
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 48.4
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 35.7
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 21.5
|-
! 2012
| colspan=3 rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.1
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.4
|-
! 2013
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 25.7
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 20.6
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 30.7
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 32.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|#01048B|border=silver}}
|-
! 2014
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 27.3
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.9
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 12.4
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 12.4
|-
! 2015
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2016
| colspan=3 rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 12.7
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 21.6
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.2
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 10.6
|-
! 2017
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.5
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.9
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.6
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.3
|-
! 2018
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 9.7
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 19.8
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2019
| rowspan=5 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 15.8
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 26.2
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 24.9
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 7.7
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 8.2
|-
! 2020
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.2
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2021
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 25.7
| rowspan=4 colspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 11.0
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 21.4<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.6
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 35.7
| bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 8.4
|-
! 2022
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.4<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 26.7
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 43.5
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FF788C style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 16.0
|-
! 2023
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 8.4
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 18.4<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="color:#FFFFFF;vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 29.8<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF788C style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 15.1<br>{{Colour box|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 bgcolor=#FF3C50 style="border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2024
| bgcolor=#FFBEBE style="vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 13.9
| TBD
| TBD
| TBD
|-
! Year
! {{flagicon|Germany}}<br>[[Germany|DE]]
! {{flagicon|European Union}}<br>EU
! class="unsortable"| 
! colspan=3| {{flagicon|Baden-Württemberg}}<br>[[Baden-Württemberg|BW]] !! {{flagicon|Bavaria}}<br>[[Bavaria|BY]] !! {{flagicon|Berlin}}<br>[[Berlin|BE]] !! {{flagicon|Brandenburg}}<br>[[Brandenburg|BB]]
! {{flagicon|Bremen}}<br>[[Bremen (state)|HB]] !! {{flagicon|Hamburg}}<br>[[Hamburg|HH]] !! {{flagicon|Hesse}}<br>[[Hesse|HE]] !! {{flagicon|Lower Saxony}}<br>[[Lower Saxony|NI]] !! {{flagicon|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}<br>[[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|MV]] !! {{flagicon|North Rhine-Westphalia}}<br>[[North Rhine-Westphalia|NW]] !! {{flagicon|Rhineland-Palatinate}}<br>[[Rhineland-Palatinate|RP]] !! {{flagicon|Saarland}}<br>[[Saarland|SL]] !! {{flagicon|Saxony}}<br>[[Saxony|SN]] !! {{flagicon|Saxony-Anhalt}}<br>[[Saxony-Anhalt|ST]] !! {{flagicon|Schleswig-Holstein}}<br>[[Schleswig-Holstein|SH]] !! {{flagicon|Thuringia}}<br>[[Thuringia|TH]]
|-
| colspan=22 align=left| '''Bold''' indicates best result to date.<br>{{Colour box|#FFBEBE|border=silver}} Present in legislature (in opposition)<br>{{Colour box|#FF788C|border=silver}} Junior coalition partner<br>{{Colour box|#FF3C50|border=silver}} Senior coalition partner
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Germany|Socialism}}
* ''[[Bundestag]]'' (Federal Assembly of Germany)
* [[Elections in the Free State of Prussia]]
* [[Iron Front]]
* [[List of political parties in Germany]]
* [[Mierscheid Law]]
* [[Party finance in Germany]]
* [[Politics of Germany]]
* [[Weimar Republic]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* Orlow, Dietrich. ''Common Destiny: A Comparative History of the Dutch, French, and German Social Democratic Parties, 1945–1969'' (2000) [https://www.questia.com/read/110575026/common-destiny-a-comparative-history-of-the-dutch online].
* [[Carl E. Schorske]], ''German Social Democracy, 1905–1917: The Development of the Great Schism'' (Harvard University Press, 1955).
* Vernon L. Lidtke, ''The Outlawed Party: Social Democracy in Germany, 1878–1890'' (Princeton University Press, 1966).
* Berlau, Abraham. ''German Social Democratic Party, 1914–1921'' (Columbia University Press, 1949).
* Maxwell, John Allen. "Social Democracy in a Divided Germany: Kurt Schumacher and the German Question, 1945–1952." Ph.D. dissertation, West Virginia University, Department of History, Morgantown, West Virginia, 1969.
* McAdams, A. James. "Germany Divided: From the Wall to Reunification." Princeton University Press, 1992 and 1993.
* Erich Matthias, ''The Downfall of the Old Social Democratic Party in 1933'' pp.&nbsp;51–105 from ''Republic to Reich The Making of the Nazi Revolution Ten Essays'' edited by [[Hajo Holborn]], (New York: Pantheon Books, 1972).
*Eric D. Weitz, ''Creating German Communism, 1890–1990: From Popular Protests to Socialist State''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997.
*David Priestand, ''Red Flag: A History of Communism''", New York: Grove Press, 2009.
* [[Carlton J. H. Hayes]]. (1917). The History of German Socialism Reconsidered. The American Historical Review, 23(1), 62–101. [https://doi.org/10.2307/1837686].

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}
* {{official website}} {{in lang|de}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101004024914/http://fractal-vortex.narod.ru/International/Second_International_Eng.htm History of the German social-democratic party] (archived 4 October 2010)

{{Social Democratic Party of Germany}}
{{Parties of Germany}}
{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{German Empire political parties}}
{{Weimar Republic political parties}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Social Democratic Party Of Germany}}
[[Category:Social Democratic Party of Germany| ]]
[[Category:Labour movement in Germany]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1875]]
[[Category:Political parties of the German Empire]]
[[Category:Political parties in the Weimar Republic]]
[[Category:Party of European Socialists member parties]]
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[[Category:Social democratic parties in Germany]]
[[Category:Second International]]
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[[Category:Members of the Labour and Socialist International]]
[[Category:Progressive Alliance]]
[[Category:Parties represented in the European Parliament]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in Europe]]