2009 Thuringian state election

Last updated
2009 Thuringia state election
Flag of Thuringia.svg
←  2004 30 August 2009 2014  →
All 88 seats of the Landtag of Thuringia
Registered1,910,074 Decrease2.svg 2.5%
Turnout1,054,297 (56.2%)
Increase2.svg 2.4%
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Dieter althaus2008.jpg Bodo Ramelow 2.jpg Christoph Matschie Landtag Erfurt 2011-05-18 mn (3).JPG
Leader Dieter Althaus Bodo Ramelow Christoph Matschie
Party CDU Left SPD
Leader's seat Eichsfeld I Erfurt III (won seat) Jena I (won seat)
Last election45 seats, 43.0%28 seats, 26.1% [lower-alpha 1] 15 seats, 14.5%
Seats won302718
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 15Decrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 3
Popular vote329,302288,915195,363
Percentage31.2%27.4%18.5%
SwingDecrease2.svg 11.8%Increase2.svg 1.3%Increase2.svg 4.0%
 Fourth partyFifth party
  Uwe Barth by Stepro 02.JPG 2011 05 18 - Landtagsprojekt Erfurt (0254)b.jpg
Leader Uwe Barth Astrid Rothe-Beinlich
Party FDP Greens
Leader's seat List [lower-alpha 2] List [lower-alpha 3]
Last election0 seats, 3.6%0 seats, 4.5%
Seats won76
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 7Increase2.svg 6
Popular vote80,60064,912
Percentage7.6%6.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg 4.0%Increase2.svg 1.7%
2009 Thuringian state election.svg
Results for the single-member constituencies
Minister-President before election

Dieter Althaus
CDU

Elected Minister-President

Christine Lieberknecht
CDU

The 2009 Thuringian state election was held on 30 August 2009 to elect the members of the 5th Landtag of Thuringia. It was held on the same day as the 2009 Saarland state election and the 2009 Saxony state election. The incumbent Christian Democratic Union (CDU) government led by Minister-President Dieter Althaus was defeated. The CDU subsequently formed a grand coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Althaus resigned after the election due to his party's poor performance, which was far below expectations. He was succeeded by fellow CDU member Christine Lieberknecht, who was elected as the new Minister-President. [1]

Contents

Parties

The table below lists parties represented in the 4th Landtag of Thuringia.

NameIdeologyLeader(s)2004 result
Votes (%)Seats
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands		 Christian democracy Dieter Althaus 43.0%
45 / 88
Linke The Left
Die Linke		 Democratic socialism Bodo Ramelow 26.1% [lower-alpha 4]
28 / 88
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands		 Social democracy Christoph Matschie 14.5%
15 / 88

Opinion polling

Polling firmFieldwork dateSample
size		 CDU Linke SPD Grüne FDP OthersLead
2009 state election 30 Aug 2009–31.227.418.56.27.69.13.8
TU Ilumenau 10–22 Aug 2009369412315108318
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 17–20 Aug 2009~1,000352518510710
Infratest dimap 18–20 Aug 20091,00034241968910
IfM Leipzig 10–13 Aug 200980537232059614
Infratest dimap 7–11 Aug 20091,00034242069710
Forsa 13–24 Jul 20091,00440241666816
Infratest dimap 19–23 Jun 20091,00036241869712
IfM Leipzig 11–13 May 200980136232358513
Forsa 4–15 May 20091,00540261846614
Infratest dimap 8–12 May 20091,00039252056514
Infratest dimap 18–22 Mar 20091,00036252058611
GESS 4–7 Mar 20091,00439251848614
Forsa 12–16 Jan 200975139281655711
IfM Leipzig 21–23 Oct 20088053330185673
Forsa 25 Aug–9 Sep 20088633732154575
dimap 26 Jun–10 Jul 20081,001313120567Tie
Infratest dimap 5–7 May 20081,0003329235554
IfM Leipzig 8–10 Apr 20088043329216564
Emnid 13–27 Feb 2008~50036252445 ?11
IfM Leipzig 10–12 Dec 200780335252554610
Infratest dimap Oct 20071,00035262355 ?9
IfM Leipzig 21–22 Aug 20078013629253347
dimap 9–13 Jul 20071,00340252444315
IfM Leipzig 12–15 May 20078013425265558
Emnid 30 Apr–16 May 20075163227226665
IfM Leipzig 23 Feb 2007 ?3026286552
IfM Leipzig 15 Dec 20068023425275457
IfM Leipzig 16–17 Aug 20068103326304343
IfM Leipzig 7–8 Feb 200680234242934610
IfM Leipzig 12–15 Dec 20058063626273539
Uni Jena Jul 2005~1,0004031154559
IfM Leipzig 28–30 May 200580345212045524
IfM Leipzig 24 Jan 200580639222344816
IfM Leipzig Sep 2004 ?41251864616
2004 state election 13 Jun 2004–43.026.114.54.53.68.316.9

Election result

Summary of the 30 August 2009 election results for the Landtag of Thuringia
2009 Thuringian Landtag.svg
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 329,30231.23Decrease2.svg 11.830Decrease2.svg 15
The Left (Linke) 288,91527.40Increase2.svg 1.3 [A] 28Decrease2.svg 1 [A]
Social Democratic Party (SPD) 195,36318.53Increase2.svg 4.018Increase2.svg 3
Free Democratic Party (FDP) 80,6007.64Increase2.svg 4.07Increase2.svg 7
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) 64,9126.16Increase2.svg 1.76Increase2.svg 6
National Democratic Party (NPD) 45,4514.31Increase2.svg 2.70Steady2.svg
Free Voters (FW) 40,8113.87Increase2.svg 1.30Steady2.svg
Others8,9430.850Steady2.svg
Total1,054,297100.00–89–
Popular Vote
CDU
 
31.23%
DIE LINKE
 
27.40%
SPD
 
18.53%
FDP
 
7.64%
B'90/GRÜNE
 
6.16%
NPD
 
4.31%
FW
 
3.87%
Other
 
0.86%
Landtag seats
CDU
 
34.09%
DIE LINKE
 
30.68%
SPD
 
20.45%
FDP
 
7.95%
B'90/GRÜNE
 
6.82%

Outcome

Minister-President and CDU leader Dieter Althaus resigned in the wake of the election, stating he took responsibility for his party's losses. [2] However, observers noted that his resignation also helped clear the way for a grand coalition between the CDU and SPD, which was preferred by both parties, and would be easier to manage under new leadership. The only viable alternative to a grand coalition was a government led by The Left with SPD and Green support, which both the CDU and SPD sought to avoid; the CDU because such a coalition would leave them in opposition, and the SPD because of personal animosity between its leader Christoph Matschie and Left leader Bodo Ramelow. [2] Ultimately, a grand coalition of the CDU and SPD was formed under the leadership of the CDU's Christine Lieberknecht, who was elected Minister-President.

Notes

A. ^ Compared to results for PDS
  1. ↑ Results for PDS.
  2. ↑ Ran in Jena I (lost).
  3. ↑ Ran in Erfurt II (lost).
  4. ↑ Results for PDS.

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References

  1. ↑ CDU and SPD form Thuringia state coalition, The Local; 19 October 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Merkel Loyalist Resigns (Published 2009)". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2022-08-28.
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