Hesse Election Results 2009

Image via WikipediaFor some reason I am getting lots of hits on the blog for search terms to do with the recent election is Hesse so I better put them up! For last years result see here. This year saw the SPD's vote collapse from 36.7% to 23.7%. This reduces the number of seats they hold from 42 to 29. The CDU increased their vote share marginally going from 36.8% in 2008 to 37.2% in 2009. They now hold 46 seats, up from 42. The FDP are the major gainers in this election. They increased their vote share from 9.4% to 16.2%. Meaning they take 20 seats up from 11. Der Grüne also increased their vote share from 7.5% to 13.7% bringing their number of seats to 17 from 9, nearly doubling their representation. Der Linke also increased their vote share but only marginally from 5.1% to 5.3% and sees them stay on 6 seats.

It looks likely that the CDU and the FDP will form a governing coalition, as they will hold 66 seats out of the 110. This will help shore up Merkel's and the CDU's electoral chances as they face into the General Election later this year.

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CSU set to lose Bayern

The Christian Social Union (CSU), the sister party of Angela Merkel's CDU, look set to lose state elections held today in Bayern (Bavaria) reports The Local. Exit polls show the CSU have gotten only 43% of the vote. This is the CSU worst election since 1952 and means they will lose their absolute majority, which they have held since 1962.

The SPD are also down on 2003 according to the exit poll, which has them at 19%. The Greens and the FDP did well and increased their vote to 9.2% and 8.4% respectively and the Free Voters polled 10.2% ensuring that at least five parties will be represented in the state parliament. Die Linke who have made gains across Germany looks set to fail to reach the 5% threshold, polling at 4.7%.

This is not good reading for the CDU who are facing though times ahead of next years general election, of course it does not look well either for the SPD who are in a 'grand coalition' with the CDU.

More Information:
The Local - CSU suffers huge losses in Bavarian vote
Swissinfo - Merkel allies suffer big losses in Bavaria vote

Election Results: Hessen (Hesse) unt Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)

Update: Looking for the Results of the 2009 Election? See here.

They are fast with the results here in Germany (without electronic voting I may add!)

The results are bad for the CDU. They are down in both states which are seen as the test waters for next years federal elections. The results are as follows

Hessen (Hesse)

Percentages (Seats)
CDU: 36,8 (42)
SPD: 36,7 (42)
FDP: 9,4 (11)
Grüne: 8,0 (9)
Der Linke: 5,1 (6)

My View
This is a defeat for the CDU and Roland Koch in particular. The CDU lost 12% of the vote. The gainers in the election were: SPD up 7%, FDP up 1,5% and Der Linke who passed the 5% threshold on their first outing in Hessen leaving them with 5,1% of the vote!

There is a 110 seats in the state parliament and neither the two major parties and their favoured coaltion have a majority (CDU/FDP:53 seats, SPD/Grüne 51 seats). This means it will more then likely be a CDU/SPD coalition. Who will be Minister-President is a different question.

Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)

Percentages (Seats)
CDU: 42,5(68)
SPD: 30,3 (48)
FDP: 8,2 (13)
Grüne: 8,0 (12)
Der Linke: 7,1 (11)

The CDU have also suffered losses here down 6% for the last election in 2003. The SPD is also down 3% of the vote. The gainers here were FDP up 0,1% Grüne up 0,4% and Der Linke up 6,6%. Though the FDP and Grüne incrsead their vote share, they both are down two seats.

My View

Der Linke are the winners in this state. They surpassed the 5% threshold on their second outing in this state. Neither party will do a deal with them, but if they become enough of a force by the Federal Elections next year then both parties might change their tune. (Maybe not the CDU!) The Parliemant here has 152 seats and the current coalition (CDU/FDP) have enough seats to continue to govern so Christian Wulff will stay on as Minister-President.