Schleswig-Holstein state election, 2009
Encyclopedia
State elections were held in Schleswig-Holstein on 27 September 2009, the same day as the German federal elections and the Brandenburg state elections
. The elections determined control of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
(Schleswig-Holstein
's legislature).
It was an early election; after the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) and Social Democratic Party
(SPD) grand coalition
broke apart in Summer 2009, Minister-President
Peter Harry Carstensen
(CDU) provoked early elections by intentionally losing a vote of confidence. After the election, Carstensen and his party were able to form a coalition with the FDP instead of the SPD. However, these party have a majority in the Landtag only because of overhang seat
s for the CDU.
In August 2010 the Constitutional Court of Schlewsig-Holstein judged that the Electoral Law was against the Constitution of Schleswig-Holstein, as the parliament's size was boosted by overhang seats and corresponding neutralizer seats for the other parties far above the 69 seats fixed in the constitution. The Contitutional Court decided that the current Landtag should not be changed, but that a new election must take place latest on 30. September 2012, after a revision of the Electoral Law.
a As representation of the Danish Minority in Schleswig-Holstein, South Schleswig Voter Federation does not need to gain a minimum of 5 percent of the votes to obtain seats in the parliament, as all other parties do.
Brandenburg state election, 2009
State elections were held in Brandenburg on 27 September 2009, the same day as the German federal elections and the Schleswig-Holstein state elections...
. The elections determined control of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
The Schleswig-Holstein Landtag is the state diet of the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. It convenes in the state's capital Kiel and currently consists of 95 members of six parties. Its main competences are in the fields of education, culture, regional planning and domestic politics...
(Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
's legislature).
It was an early election; after the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU) and Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD) grand coalition
Grand coalition
A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political parties of opposing political ideologies unite in a coalition government...
broke apart in Summer 2009, Minister-President
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
Peter Harry Carstensen
Peter Harry Carstensen
Peter Harry Carstensen is a German politician, in the Christian Democratic Union party.Since 2005 he has been Minister President of the state of Schleswig-Holstein, serving as President of the Bundesrat in 2005/06....
(CDU) provoked early elections by intentionally losing a vote of confidence. After the election, Carstensen and his party were able to form a coalition with the FDP instead of the SPD. However, these party have a majority in the Landtag only because of overhang seat
Overhang seat
Overhang seats can arise in elections under the traditional mixed member proportional system, when a party is entitled to fewer seats as a result of party votes than it has won constituencies.-How overhang seats arise:...
s for the CDU.
In August 2010 the Constitutional Court of Schlewsig-Holstein judged that the Electoral Law was against the Constitution of Schleswig-Holstein, as the parliament's size was boosted by overhang seats and corresponding neutralizer seats for the other parties far above the 69 seats fixed in the constitution. The Contitutional Court decided that the current Landtag should not be changed, but that a new election must take place latest on 30. September 2012, after a revision of the Electoral Law.
| Political Party | % won | +/- | Seats | |
| Christian Democratic Union Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... (Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) |
31.5 | -8.7 | 34 | |
| Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) |
25.4 | -12.3 | 25 | |
| Free Democratic Party of Germany (Freie Demokratische Partei) | 14.9 | +8.3 | 14 | |
| Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir... (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) |
12.4 | +2.2 | 12 | |
| The Left The Left (Germany) The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag.... (Die Linke) |
6.0 | +5.2 | 6 | |
| South Schleswig Voter Federation South Schleswig Voter Federation The South Schleswig Voter Federation is a regional political party in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany... (Südschleswigscher Wählerverband)a |
4.3 | +0.7 | 4 | |
| Pirate Party Germany (Piratenpartei Deutschland) | 1.8 | +1.8 | - | |
| Free Voters Free Voters Free Voters is a German concept in which an association of persons participates in an election without having the status of a registered political party. Usually it is a locally organized group of voters in the form of a registered association . In most cases, Free Voters are active only at the... (Freie Wähler) |
1.0 | +1.0 | - | |
| National Democratic Party of Germany National Democratic Party of Germany The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"... (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands) |
0.9 | -1.0 | - | |
| All others | 1.8 | +1.2 | - | |
a As representation of the Danish Minority in Schleswig-Holstein, South Schleswig Voter Federation does not need to gain a minimum of 5 percent of the votes to obtain seats in the parliament, as all other parties do.