2003 Lower Saxony state election

Last updated
2003 Lower Saxony state election
Flag of Lower Saxony.svg
←  1998 2 February 2003 2008  →
All 183 seats in the Landtag of Lower Saxony
92 seats needed for a majority
Turnout3,984,009 (67.0%)
Decrease2.svg 6.8%
 First partySecond party
  Landtag Niedersachsen DSCF7769.JPG Sigmar Gabriel (2012).jpg
Leader Christian Wulff Sigmar Gabriel
Party CDU SPD
Last election62 seats, 35.9%83 seats, 47.9%
Seats won9163
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 29Decrease2.svg 20
Popular vote1,925,0551,330,156
Percentage48.3%33.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg 12.4%Decrease2.svg 14.5%
 Third partyFourth party
 
Party FDP Greens
Last election0 seats, 4.9%12 seats, 7.0%
Seats won1514
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 15Increase2.svg 2
Popular vote323,107304,532
Percentage8.1%7.6%
SwingIncrease2.svg 3.2%Increase2.svg 0.6%
2003 Lower Saxony state election.svg
Results for the single-member constituencies
Minister-President before election

Sigmar Gabriel
SPD

Elected Minister-President

Christian Wulff
CDU

The 2003 Lower Saxony state election was held on 2 February 2003 to elect the members of the 15th Landtag of Lower Saxony. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) majority government led by Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel was defeated. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came up one seat short of a majority, and formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). CDU leader Christian Wulff was subsequently elected minister-president.

Contents

Background

The election in Lower Saxony had larger significance than just in the state itself. [1] Defeat for the Social Democrats in the election would mean they lost their slim majority in the upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat. [1] It was thought this might cause the collapse of Gerhard Schröder's national coalition government between the Social Democrats and the Green Party. [1]

Campaign and issues

The economy was seen as the most important issue in the election, with the Social Democrats suffering as a result. [2]

Opinion polls in December 2002 showed the Christian Democrats in the lead with 43% as against 34% for the Social Democrats. [3]

Parties

The table below lists parties represented in the 14th Landtag of Lower Saxony.

NameIdeologyLeader(s)1998 result
Votes (%)Seats
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands		 Social democracy Sigmar Gabriel 47.9%
83 / 157
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands		 Christian democracy Christian Wulff 35.9%
62 / 157
Grüne Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen		 Green politics 7.0%
12 / 157

Opinion polling

Polling firmFieldwork dateSample
size		 SPD CDU Grüne FDP OthersLead
2003 state election 2 Feb 2003–33.448.37.68.12.514.9
Forsa 27–30 Jan 20031,014334887415
Forsa 20–24 Jan 20031,103354886313
Emnid 23 Jan 2003 ?37469539
Infratest dimap 16–20 Jan 20031,000364875412
Forsa 13–18 Jan 20031,008364885312
Infratest dimap 9–13 Jan 20031,00037468639
Forsa 6–10 Jan 20031,02737469539
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 6–9 Jan 20031,04437458648
Forsa 27 Dec 2002–3 Jan 20031,1223646105310
Infratest dimap 2–4 Dec 20021,00040457535
Emnid 14–20 Nov 20021,003344312659
Forsa 23 Sep 2002 ?4736.57.54.54.511.5
Emnid 30 Aug–4 Sep 20021,00042387854
Infratest dimap 14 Jun 20021,0004535611310
Emnid 31 May 2002 ?393761262
Forsa 17 Apr 2002 ?43416462
Emnid 21–27 Feb 20021,00043377856
Forsa 11–27 Feb 20021,32743396574
Infratest dimap 31 Aug 2001 ?44366958
Forsa 22 Jun 2001 ?46377559
Infratest dimap 20 Feb 2001 ?483575513
Forsa 28 Oct 1999 ?41466435
Infratest dimap 21–24 Oct 19991,00041465445
1998 state election 1 Mar 1998–47.935.97.04.94.312.0

Election result

Summary of the 2 February 2003 election results for the Landtag of Lower Saxony
PartyVotes %+/-Seats+/-Seats %
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)1,925,05548.3Increase2.svg12.491Increase2.svg2949.7
Social Democratic Party (SPD)1,330,15633.4Decrease2.svg14.563Decrease2.svg2034.4
Free Democratic Party (FDP)323,1078.1Increase2.svg3.215Increase2.svg158.2
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)304,5327.6Increase2.svg0.614Increase2.svg27.7
Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Schill party)40,3421.0New0New0
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)21,5600.5Increase2.svg0.50±00
Others39,2571.00±00
Total3,984,009100.0183Increase2.svg26
Voter turnout67.0Decrease2.svg6.8
Popular Vote
CDU
 
48.32%
SPD
 
33.38%
FDP
 
8.11%
B'90/GRÜNE
 
7.64%
SCHILL
 
1.01%
PDS
 
0.54%
Other
 
0.99%
Landtag seats
CDU
 
49.73%
SPD
 
34.43%
FDP
 
8.20%
B'90/GRÜNE
 
7.65%

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Hall, Allan (2002-12-01). "The joke's on Schroder as Germans seek serious answers to economic crisis". Scotland on Sunday . p. 21.
  2. ↑ "State voters reject Schroeder". CNN. 2003-02-03. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  3. ↑ Hall, Allan (2002-12-26). "Germany is desperately seeking Schroder as chancellor loses his grip". The Scotsman . p. 9.
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