Social Democratic Party of Germany

Centre-left political party in Germany

This article is about the political party in Germany. For the party in Poland, see German Social Democratic Party (Poland).

"SPD" redirects here. For the Czech party, see Freedom and Direct Democracy. For other uses, see SPD (disambiguation).

Social Democratic Party of Germany

Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands

File:Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, Logo um 2000.svg
Abbreviation| SPD
Leader|

* Saskia Esken
* Lars Klingbeil

General Secretary| Kevin Kühnert
Deputy Leaders|

See list

* Klara Geywitz
* Hubertus Heil
* Thomas Kutschaty
* Serpil Midyatli
* Anke Rehlinger

Founded| 27 May 1875; 150 years ago (1875-05-27)
Merger of|

* ADAV
* SDAP

Headquarters| Willy-Brandt-Haus D-10911 Berlin
Newspaper| Vorwärts
Student wing| Juso-Hochschulgruppen
Youth wing| Young Socialists in the SPD
Women's wing| Association of Social Democratic Women
LGBT\+ wing| SPDqueer
Paramilitary wing| Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold (1924–33)
Membership|  404,305 (2021 est.)[1]
Ideology| Social democracy
Pro-Europeanism
Political position| Centre-left
European affiliation| Party of European Socialists
International affiliation| Progressive Alliance
European Parliament group| Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Colours|  Red
Bundestag|

206 / 736

Bundesrat|

19 / 69

State parliaments|

481 / 1,884

European Parliament|

16 / 96

Heads of State Governments|

8 / 16

Party flag
File:Flag of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.svg

* Politics of Germany
* Political parties
* Elections

Part of a series on

Social democracy
File:Red rose 02.svg

History

* Age of Enlightenment
* Frankfurt Declaration
* French Revolution
* Godesberg Program
* Humanism
* Internationalist–defencist schism
* Keynesianism
* Labor movement
* Marxism
* Orthodox
* Revisionist
* Nordic model
* Reformist–revolutionary dispute
* Socialism
* Revolutions of 1848
* Utopian socialism
* Welfare capitalism

Concepts

* Civil liberties
* Democracy
* Economic
* Industrial
* Representative
* Dirigisme
* Environmentalism
* Environmental protection
* Fair trade
* Gradualism
* Internationalism
* Land reform
* Labor rights
* Left-wing nationalism
* Mixed economy
* Nationalization
* Negative and positive rights
* Progressivism
* Reformism
* Left
* Socialism
* Revolutionary socialism
* Secularism
* Social corporatism
* Social justice
* Social market economy
* Socialist state
* Capitalism
* Socialism
* Trade union
* Tripartism
* Welfare
* Welfare state

Variants

* Democratic socialism
* Ethical socialism
* Evolutionary socialism
* Liberal socialism
* Socialism of the 21st century
* Third Way

People

* Ambedkar
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* Ardern
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* Jaurès
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* Kautsky
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* Kirk
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* Liebknecht (father)
* Liebknecht (son)
* Luxemburg
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* Plekhanov
* Prodi
* Russell
* Sanders
* Savage
* Stauning
* Thomas
* Den Uyl
* Webb
* Whitlam
* Wilson
* Zhordania

Organizations

* International Trade Union Confederation
* International Union of Socialist Youth
* Party of European Socialists
* Progressive Alliance
* Socialist International
* Young European Socialists

By region

* Austria
* Germany
* United States

Related

* Communism
* "The Internationale"
* Socialism
* Types of socialism

* '
* '
* '

* v
* t
* e

The Social Democratic Party of Germany (German: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, [zoˈtsi̯aːldemoˌkʁaːtɪʃə paʁˌtaɪ ˈdɔʏtʃlants]; SPD, German pronunciation: [ɛspeːˈdeː] (Audio file "De-SPD.ogg " not found)) is a centre-left social democratic[2][3][4] political party in Germany. It is one of the three major parties of contemporary Germany along with the Union parties (CDU/CSU) and the Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen).

Saskia Esken has been the party's leader since the 2019 leadership election together with Lars Klingbeil, who joined her in December 2021. After Olaf Scholz was elected Chancellor in 2021 the SPD became the leading party of the federal government, which the SPD formed with the Greens and FDP, after the 2021 federal election. The SPD is a member of 11 of the 16 German state governments and is a leading partner in seven of them..

The SPD was established in 1863. It was one of the earliest Marxist-influenced parties in the world. From the 1890s through the early 20th century, the SPD was Europe's largest Marxist party, and the most popular political party in Germany.[5] During the First World War, the party split between a pro-war mainstream and the anti-war Independent Social Democratic Party, of which some members went on to form the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). The SPD played a leading role in the German Revolution of 1918–1919 and was responsible for the foundation of the Weimar Republic. SPD politician Friedrich Ebert served as the first President of Germany.

After the rise of the Nazi Party to power, the SPD was the only party present in the Reichstag to vote against the Enabling Act of 1933; the SPD was subsequently banned, and operated in exile as the Sopade. After the Second World War, the SPD was re-established. In East Germany, it was forced to merge with the KPD to form the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. In West Germany, the SPD became one of two major parties alongside the CDU/CSU. In the 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, 1998 to 2005 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.

The SPD holds pro-EU 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.[6][7] With 16 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.[8] The SPD subsequently founded the Progressive Alliance[9][10][11] 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.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Party platform
* 2.1 Internal factions
* 3 Base of support
* 3.1 Social structure
* 3.2 Geographic distribution
* 4 Post-war leadership
* 4.1 Party leaders
* 4.2 Leaders in the Bundestag
* 4.3 Federal Presidents
* 4.4 Federal Chancellors
* 4.5 Vice Chancellors
* 4.6 State-level
* 5 Election results
* 5.1 Imperial Germany (Reichstag)
* 5.2 Weimar Republic (Reichstag)
* 5.3 Federal parliament (Bundestag)
* 5.4 European Parliament
* 5.5 State parliaments (Länder)
* 5.6 Results timeline
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 Further reading
* 10 External links

## History[edit | edit source]

Main article: History of the Social Democratic Party of Germany

File:SPD Mitgliederentwicklung.svg

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.

The Social Democratic Party has its origins in the General German Workers' Association, founded in 1863, and the Social Democratic Workers' Party, founded in 1869. The two groups merged in 1875 to create the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany (German: 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 due to the electoral system.[12]

In the years leading up to World War I, the SPD remained radical in principle, but 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.[13] In the 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.[14] Despite the Second International's agreement to oppose militarism,[15] the SPD supported the German war effort and adopted a policy, known as Burgfriedenspolitik, of refraining from calling strikes or criticising the government.[16][17] 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).[18]

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, proclaimed Germany a republic.[19] The government introduced a large number of reforms in the following months, introducing various civil liberties and labor rights.[20] 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 USPD (later the Communist Party of Germany, KPD).[21] The SPD was the largest party during the first 13 years of the new Weimar Republic. It decisively won the 1919 federal election with 37.9 per cent of votes, and Ebert became the first President in February.[22] The position of Chancellor was held by Social Democrats until the 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 federal election, the SPD's Hermann Müller became Chancellor.[23]

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 emergency powers. The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, the SPD's paramilitary wing, was frequently involved in violent confrontations with the Nazi Sturmabteilung.[24] The Nazis overtook the SPD as the largest party in 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.[25] The SPD was banned in June. Many members were subsequently imprisoned and killed by the Nazi government while others fled the country. The party-in-exile was called Sopade.[26]

After the end of World War II, the re-establishment of the SPD was permitted in the 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 ruling party of East Germany until 1989.[27] In West Germany, the SPD became one of two major parties, alongside the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In the inaugural 1949 federal election, it placed second with 29.2 per cent of votes and led the opposition to the CDU government.[28] In its 1959 Godesberg Program, the party dropped its commitment to Marxism and sought to appeal to middle-class voters, becoming a big tent party of the centre-left.[29]

Although strongly leftist, the SPD was willing to compromise. Only through its support did the governing CDU/CSU pass a de-Nazification law that its coalition partner the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the far-right German Party voted against.[30] 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 with the CDU/CSU which lasted from 1966 to 1969. After the 1969 federal election, the SPD's Willy Brandt became Chancellor in a coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP). His government sought to normalise relations with East Germany and the Eastern Bloc, a policy known as Ostpolitik.[31] The party achieved its best ever result of 45.8 per cent in 1972, one of only three occasions in which it formed the largest Bundestag faction.[32] After Brandt's resignation in 1974, his successor Helmut Schmidt served as Chancellor until 1982, when the SPD returned to opposition.[33]

During the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany, the East German SPD was refounded. It merged with the West German party in 1990, shortly before German reunification.[34] The SPD returned to government under Gerhard Schröder after the 1998 federal election in a coalition with The Greens.[35] This government was re-elected in 2002 but defeated in 2005.[36] The SPD then became junior partner of a grand coalition with the CDU/CSU until 2009. After a term in opposition, they again served as junior partner to the CDU/CSU after the 2013 federal election.[37] This arrangement was renewed after the 2017 federal election.[38] SPD narrowly won against the CDU/CSU in the September 2021 federal election, becoming the biggest party in the federal parliament (Bundestag).[39] Social Democrat Olaf Scholz became the new chancellor in December 2021, and formed a coalition government with the Green Party and the Free Democrats (FDP).[40]

## Party platform[edit | edit source]

File:SPD Bundesparteitag Leipzig 2013 by Moritz Kosinsky 021.jpg

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"[41] 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.[42] 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 "an order of economy, state and society in which the civil, political, social and economic fundamental rights are guaranteed for all people, all people live a life without exploitation, oppression and violence, that is in social and human security" and as a "vision of a free, just and solidary society", the realization of which is emphasized as a "permanent task". Social democracy serves as the "principle of action".[43]

The party platform of the SPD espouses the goal of social democracy, 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 advocates a sustainable fiscal policy that does not place a burden on future generations while eradicating budget deficits.
* 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.
* 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.[44]

### Internal factions[edit | edit source]

The SPD is mostly composed of members belonging to either of the two main wings, namely the 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.[45][46] 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 (Die Linke) in 2007.[47] The Parlamentarische Linke comprises left-wing SPD Members of the German Bundestag.

## Base of support[edit | edit source]

### Social structure[edit | edit source]

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 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, but after Schumacher's death 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 WASG, which later merged into The Left (Die Linke).

### Geographic distribution[edit | edit source]

File:Btw17spd.svg

2017 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, the SPD has continuously governed since 1949.

In southern Germany, the SPD typically garners less support except in the largest cities. At the 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 notable exceptions such as Western Pomerania where CDU leader Angela Merkel has her constituency) 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 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 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.

## Post-war leadership[edit | edit source]

See also: Leader of the Social Democratic Party

The federal leader is supported by six Deputy Leaders and the 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.

### Party leaders[edit | edit source]

| Leader  | Year

|

1  | Kurt Schumacher | 1946–1952
2  | Erich Ollenhauer | 1952–1963
3  | Willy Brandt | 1964–1987
4  | Hans-Jochen Vogel | 1987–1991
5  | Björn Engholm | 1991–1993
6  | Rudolf Scharping | 1993–1995
7  | Oskar Lafontaine | 1995–1999
8  | Gerhard Schröder | 1999–2004
9  | Franz Müntefering (1st term) | 2004–2005
10  | Matthias Platzeck | 2005–2006
11  | Kurt Beck | 2006–2008

(9) | Franz Müntefering (2nd term) | 2008–2009
13  | Sigmar Gabriel | 2009–2017
14  | Martin Schulz | 2017–2018
15  | Andrea Nahles | 2018–2019
16  | Saskia Esken &
Norbert Walter-Borjans | 2019–2021
17  | Saskia Esken & Lars Klingbeil | 2021–present

### Leaders in the Bundestag[edit | edit source]

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.

| Leader  | Year

|

1  | Kurt Schumacher | 1949–1952
2  | Erich Ollenhauer | 1952–1963
3  | Fritz Erler | 1964–1967
4  | Helmut Schmidt | 1967–1969
5  | Herbert Wehner | 1969–1983
6  | Hans-Jochen Vogel | 1983–1991
7  | Hans-Ulrich Klose | 1991–1994
8  | Rudolf Scharping | 1994–1998
9  | Peter Struck (1st term) | 1998–2002
10  | Ludwig Stiegler | 2002
11  | Franz Müntefering | 2002–2005
(9)  | Peter Struck (2nd term) | 2005–2009
12  | Frank-Walter Steinmeier | 2009–2013
13  | Thomas Oppermann | 2013–2017
14  | Andrea Nahles | 2017–2019
15  | Rolf Mützenich | 2019–present

### Federal Presidents[edit | edit source]

| Gustav Heinemann | 1969–1974

|

Johannes Rau | 1999–2004
Frank-Walter Steinmeier | 2017–present

### Federal Chancellors[edit | edit source]

Chancellor of Germany | Time in office

|

Willy Brandt | 1969–1974
Helmut Schmidt | 1974–1982
Gerhard Schröder | 1998–2005
Olaf Scholz | 2021–

### Vice Chancellors[edit | edit source]

| Vice Chancellor of Germany | Time in office

|

Willy Brandt | 1966–1969
Egon Franke | 1982
Franz Müntefering | 2005–2007
Frank-Walter Steinmeier | 2007–2009
Sigmar Gabriel | 2013–2018
Olaf Scholz | 2018–2021

### State-level[edit | edit source]

State  | Leader  | Seats  | Government

|
|
|

Baden-Württemberg | Andreas Stoch |

19 / 143

| Opposition
Bavaria | Natascha Kohnen |

22 / 205

| Opposition
Berlin | Franziska Giffey &
Raed Saleh |

38 / 160

| Coalition
Brandenburg | Dietmar Woidke |

25 / 88

| Coalition
Bremen | Sascha Karolin Aulepp |

30 / 83

| Coalition
Hamburg | Melanie Leonhard |

51 / 121

| Coalition
Hesse | Nancy Faeser |

37 / 110

| Opposition
Lower Saxony | Stephan Weil |

55 / 137

| Coalition
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Manuela Schwesig |

34 / 71

| Coalition
North Rhine-Westphalia | Thomas Kutschaty |

56 / 195

| Opposition
Rhineland-Palatinate | Roger Lewentz |

39 / 101

| Coalition
Saarland | Anke Rehlinger |

29 / 51

| State government
Saxony | Martin Dulig |

18 / 126

| Coalition
Saxony-Anhalt | Juliane Kleemann [de] &
Andreas Schmidt [de] |

11 / 87

| Coalition
Schleswig-Holstein | Serpil Midyatli |

21 / 73

| Opposition
Thuringia | Georg Maier [de] |

13 / 91

| Coalition

## Election results[edit | edit source]

File:German parliamentary elections diagram.svg

Election results and governments since 1949

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, 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)[edit | edit source]

Election  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|

1877 | 493,447  | 9.1 (#4)  |

13 / 397

|  | Opposition
1878 | 437,158  | 7.6 (#5)  |

9 / 397

|  4  | Opposition
1881 | 311,961  | 6.1 (#7)  |

13 / 397

| Increase 4  | Opposition
1884 | 549,990  | 9.7 (#5)  |

24 / 397

| Increase 11  | Opposition
1887 | 763,102  | 10.1 (#5)  |

11 / 397

|  13  | Opposition
1890 | 1,427,323  | 19.7 (#1)  |

35 / 397

| Increase 24  | Opposition
1893 | 1,786,738  | 23.3 (#1)  |

44 / 397

| Increase 9  | Opposition
1898 | 2,107,076  | 27.2 (#1)  |

56 / 397

| Increase 12  | Opposition
1903 | 3,010,771  | 31.7 (#1)  |

81 / 397

| Increase 25  | Opposition
1907 | 3,259,029  | 28.9 (#1)  |

43 / 397

|  38  | Opposition
1912 | 4,250,399  | 34.8 (#1)  |

110 / 397

| Increase 67  | Opposition (1912–1918)
Coalition (1918)

### Weimar Republic (Reichstag)[edit | edit source]

Election  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|

1919 | 11,516,852  | 37.9 (#1)  |

165 / 423

| Increase 55  | Coalition
1920 | 6,179,991  | 21.9 (#1)  |

103 / 459

|  62  | External support (1920–1921)
Coalition (1921–1922)
External support (1922–1923)
Coalition (1923)
Opposition (1923–1924)
May 1924 | 6,008,905  | 20.5 (#1)  |

100 / 472

|  3  | Opposition
Dec 1924 | 7,881,041  | 26.0 (#1)  |

131 / 493

| Increase 31  | Opposition (1924–1926)
External support (1926–1927)
Opposition (1927–1928)
1928 | 9,152,979  | 29.8 (#1)  |

153 / 491

| Increase 22  | Coalition
1930 | 8,575,244  | 24.5 (#1)  |

143 / 577

|  10  | Opposition
Jul 1932 | 7,959,712  | 21.6 (#2)  |

133 / 608

|  10  | Opposition
Nov 1932 | 7,247,901  | 20.4 (#2)  |

121 / 584

|  12  | Opposition
Mar 1933 | 7,181,629  | 18.3 (#2)  |

120 / 667

|  1  | Opposition
Nov 1933 |

Banned. The Nazi Party was the sole legal party.

1936 |

Banned. The Nazi Party was the sole legal party.

1938 |

Banned. The Nazi Party was the sole legal party.

### Federal parliament (Bundestag)[edit | edit source]

Election  | Candidate  | Constituency  | Party list  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|
|

Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
1949 | Kurt Schumacher |  | 6,934,975  | 29.2 (#2)  |

131 / 402

|  | Opposition
1953 | Erich Ollenhauer | 8,131,257  | 29.5 (#2)  | 7,944,943  | 28.8 (#2)  |

162 / 509

| Increase 22  | Opposition
1957 | 11,975,400  | 32.0 (#2)  | 9,495,571  | 31.8 (#2)  |

181 / 519

| Increase 19  | Opposition
1961 | Willy Brandt | 11,672,057  | 36.5 (#1)  | 11,427,355  | 36.2 (#1)  |

203 / 521

| Increase 22  | Opposition
1965 | 12,998,474  | 40.1 (#1)  | 12,813,186  | 39.3 (#1)  |

217 / 518

| Increase 14  | Opposition (1965–1966)
CDU/CSU–SPD (1966–1969)
1969 | 14,402,374  | 44.0 (#1)  | 14,065,716  | 42.7 (#1)  |

237 / 518

| Increase 20  | SPD–FDP
1972 | 18,228,239  | 48.9 (#1)  | 17,175,169  | 45.8 (#1)  |

242 / 518

| Increase 5  | SPD–FDP
1976 | Helmut Schmidt | 16,471,321  | 43.7 (#1)  | 16,099,019  | 42.6 (#1)  |

224 / 518

|  18  | SPD–FDP
1980 | 16,808,861  | 44.5 (#1)  | 16,260,677  | 42.9 (#1)  |

228 / 519

| Increase 4  | SPD–FDP (1980–1982)
Opposition (1982–1983)
1983 | Hans-Jochen Vogel | 15,686,033  | 40.4 (#2)  | 14,865,807  | 38.2 (#1)  |

202 / 520

|  26  | Opposition
1987 | Johannes Rau | 14,787,953  | 39.2 (#1)  | 14,025,763  | 37.0 (#1)  |

193 / 519

|  9  | Opposition
1990 | Oskar Lafontaine | 16,279,980  | 35.2 (#2)  | 15,545,366  | 33.5 (#2)  |

239 / 662

| Increase 46  | Opposition
1994 | Rudolf Scharping | 17,966,813  | 38.3 (#1)  | 17,140,354  | 36.4 (#1)  |

252 / 672

| Increase 13  | Opposition
1998 | Gerhard Schröder | 21,535,893  | 43.8 (#1)  | 20,181,269  | 40.9 (#1)  |

298 / 669

| Increase 43  | SPD–Greens
2002 | 20,059,967  | 41.9 (#1)  | 18,484,560  | 38.5 (#1)  |

251 / 603

|  47  | SPD–Greens
2005 | 18,129,100  | 38.4 (#1)  | 16,194,665  | 34.2 (#1)  |

222 / 614

|  29  | CDU/CSU–SPD
2009 | Frank-Walter Steinmeier | 12,077,437  | 27.9 (#2)  | 9,988,843  | 23.0 (#2)  |

146 / 622

|  76  | Opposition
2013 | Peer Steinbrück | 12,835,933  | 29.4 (#2)  | 11,247,283  | 25.7 (#2)  |

193 / 630

| Increase 42  | CDU/CSU–SPD
2017 | Martin Schulz | 11,426,613  | 24.6 (#2)  | 9,538,367  | 20.5 (#2)  |

153 / 709

|  40  | CDU/CSU–SPD
2021 | Olaf Scholz | 12,227,998  | 26.4 (#1)  | 11,949,374  | 25.7 (#1)  |

206 / 736

| Increase 53  | SPD–Greens–FDP

* Karte der Reichstagswahlen 1912 en.png

Constituency results, 1912

* Wahl zur Nationalversammlung 1919.svg

Constituency results, 1919

* Reichstagswahl 1928.svg

Constituency results, 1928

* Bundestagswahl 1953 - Ergebnisse Wahlkreise.png

Constituency results, 1953

* Bundestagswahl 1972 - Ergebnisse Wahlkreise.png

Constituency results, 1972

* Bundestagswahl 1990 Wahlkreisergebnisse.svg

Constituency results, 1990

* Bundestagswahl 1998 Wahlkreisergebnisse.svg

Constituency results, 1998

* Erststimmenmehrheiten Bundestagswahl 2021.svg

Constituency results, 2021

### European Parliament[edit | edit source]

Election  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–

|
|
|
|

1979 | 11,370,045  | 40.8 (#1)  |

33 / 81

1984 | 9,296,417  | 37.4 (#2)  |

32 / 81

|  1
1989 | 10,525,728  | 37.3 (#1)  |

30 / 81

|  2
1994 | 11,389,697  | 32.2 (#1)  |

40 / 99

| Increase 10
1999 | 8,307,085  | 30.7 (#2)  |

33 / 99

|  7
2004 | 5,547,971  | 21.5 (#2)  |

23 / 99

|  10
2009 | 5,472,566  | 20.8 (#2)  |

23 / 99

| Steady 0
2014 | 7,999,955  | 27.2 (#2)  |

27 / 96

| Increase 4
2019 | 5,914,953  | 15.8 (#3)  |

16 / 96

|  11

### State parliaments (Länder)[edit | edit source]

State parliament  | Election  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|
|

Baden-Württemberg | 2021 | 535,462  | 11.0 (#3)  |

19 / 154

| Steady 0  | Opposition Leader
Bavaria | 2018 | 1,317,942  | 9.7 (#5)  |

22 / 205

|  20  | Opposition
Berlin | 2021 | 389,965  | 21.4 (#1)  |

36 / 147

|  2  | SPD–Greens–Left
Brandenburg | 2019 | 331,238  | 26.2 (#1)  |

25 / 88

|  5  | SPD–CDU–Greens
Bremen | 2019 | 365,315  | 24.9 (#2)  |

23 / 84

|  7  | SPD–Greens–Left
Hamburg | 2020 | 1,554,760  | 39.0 (#1)  |

54 / 123

|  4  | SPD–Greens
Hesse | 2018 | 570,166  | 19.8 (#3)  |

29 / 137

|  8  | Opposition Leader
Lower Saxony | 2022 | 1,211,210  | 33.4 (#1)  |

57 / 146

| Increase 2  | SPD–Greens
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 2021 | 361,761  | 39.6 (#1)  |

34 / 79

| Increase 8  | SPD–Left
North Rhine-Westphalia | 2022 | 1,905,002  | 26.7 (#2)  |

56 / 195

|  13  | Opposition Leader
Rhineland-Palatinate | 2021 | 691,055  | 35.7 (#1)  |

39 / 101

| Steady 0  | SPD–Greens–FDP
Saarland | 2022 | 196,799  | 43.5 (#1)  |

29 / 51

| Increase 12  | SPD majority
Saxony | 2019 | 167,289  | 7.7 (#5)  |

10 / 119

|  8  | CDU–Greens–SPD
Saxony-Anhalt | 2021 | 89,475  | 8.4 (#4)  |

9 / 97

|  2  | CDU–SPD–FDP
Schleswig-Holstein | 2022 | 221,536  | 16.0 (#3)  |

12 / 69

|  9  | Opposition Leader
Thuringia | 2019 | 90,984  | 8.2 (#4)  |

8 / 90

|  4  | Left–SPD–Greens

Best historic results for state parties State  | Seats / Total  | %  | Position/Gov.  | Year  | Lead Candidate

|
|
|
|
|

Baden-Württemberg |

46 / 146

| 29.4 (#2)  | CDU–SPD  | 1992 | Dieter Spöri (Deputy Minister-President 1992–1996)
Bavaria |

61 / 204

| 28.1 (#2)  | SPD–BP–GB/BHE–FDP  | 1954 | Wilhelm Hoegner (Minister-President 1954–1957)
Berlin |

89 / 140

| 61.9 (#1)  | SPD–FDP  | 1963 | Willy Brandt (Governing Mayor 1957–1966)
Brandenburg |

52 / 88

| 54.1 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1994 | Manfred Stolpe (Minister-President 1990–2002)
Bremen |

59 / 100

| 55.3 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1971  | Hans Koschnick (President of the Senate and Mayor 1967–1985)
Hamburg |

74 / 120

| 59.0 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1966 | Herbert Weichmann (First Mayor 1965–1971)
Hesse |

52 / 96

| 51.0 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1966  | Georg-August Zinn (Minister-President 1950–1969)
Lower Saxony |

83 / 157

| 47.9 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1998 | Gerhard Schröder (Minister-President 1990–1998)
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |

34 / 79

| 39.6 (#1)  | SPD–Left  | 2021 | Manuela Schwesig (Minister-President 2017–)
North Rhine-Westphalia |

125 / 227

| 52.1 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1985  | Johannes Rau (Minister-President 1978–1998)
Rhineland-Palatinate |

53 / 101

| 45.6 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 2006 | Kurt Beck (Minister-President 1994–2013)
Saarland |

30 / 51

| 54.4 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1990 | Oskar Lafontaine (Minister-President 1985–1998)
Saxony |

18 / 126

| 12.4 (#3)  | CDU–SPD  | 2014 | Martin Dulig (Deputy Minister-President 2014–2019)
Saxony-Anhalt |

47 / 116

| 35.9 (#1)  | SPD minority
with PDS confidence and supply | 1998 | Reinhard Höppner (Minister-President 1994–2002)
Schleswig-Holstein |

46 / 74

| 54.7 (#1)  | SPD majority  | 1988 | Björn Engholm (Minister-President 1988–1993)
Thuringia |

29 / 88

| 29.6 (#2)  | CDU–SPD  | 1994 | Gerd Schuchardt (Deputy Minister-President 1994–1999)

### Results timeline[edit | edit source]

Year  | File:Flag of Germany.svg
DE | File:Flag of Europe.svg
EU |  | File:Flag of Baden-Württemberg.svg
BW | File:Flag of Bavaria (lozengy).svg
BY | File:Flag of Berlin.svg
BE | File:Flag of Brandenburg.svg
BB | File:Flag of Bremen.svg
HB | File:Flag of Hamburg.svg
HH | File:Flag of Hesse.svg
HE | File:Flag of Lower Saxony.svg
NI | File:Flag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.svg
MV | File:Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg
NW | File:Flag of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg
RP | File:Flag of Saarland.svg
SL | File:Flag of Saxony.svg
SN | File:Flag of Saxony-Anhalt (state).svg
ST | File:Flag of Schleswig-Holstein.svg
SH | File:Flag of Thuringia.svg

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

File:Flagge Großherzogtum Baden (1891-1918).svg
SB | File:Flag of Württemberg-Baden.svg
WB | File:Flagge Königreich Württemberg.svg

1946  | N/A | N/A |  |  | 31.9  |  | 28.6
| 48.7
| [a] | 47.6
| 43.1  | 42.7  |  | [a] |  |  |  | [a] | [a] |  | [a]
1947  | 22.4
|  | 20.8  |  |  41.7  |  |  | 43.4  | 32.0  | 34.3  | 32.8  | 43.8
1948  |  |  | Increase 64.5
|  |  |  |  |  |
1949  | 29.2  |  42.8
1950  | Increase 33.0
|  28.0
|  44.7  | N/A |  | Increase 44.4  | N/A | Increase 32.3  | N/A | N/A |  27.5  | N/A
1951  |  |  39.1  |  |  33.7  |  34.0  |
1952  | 28.0

* * *

|  |  |  32.4

1953  |  28.8  |  |  | Increase 45.2
1954  | Increase 28.1  |  44.6  |  42.6  | Increase 34.5  |  | Increase 33.2
1955  |  |  | Increase 47.8  |  | Increase 35.2  |  31.7  |  20.1
1956  | Increase 28.9  |  |  |
1957  | Increase 31.8  |  |  | Increase 53.9  |
1958  | Increase 30.8  | Increase 52.6  |  | Increase 46.9  | Increase 39.2  | Increase 35.9
1959  |  | Increase 54.9  |  | Increase 39.5  | Increase 34.9  |

* * *

1960  | Increase 35.3  |  |  | Increase 30.0
1961  | Increase 36.2  | Increase 57.4
1962  | Increase 35.3  |  | Increase 50.8  | Increase 43.3  | Increase 39.2
1963  | Increase 61.9  |  54.7  |  | Increase 44.9  | Increase 40.7
1964  | Increase 37.3  |  |  |

* * *

1965  | Increase 39.3  | Increase 40.7
1966  |  |  | Increase 35.8 | Increase 59.0 | Increase 51.0 | Increase 49.5
1967  |  56.9  |  46.0  |  |  |  43.1  |  |  36.8  | Increase 39.4
1968  |  29.0  |  |  |
1969  | Increase 42.7  |
1970  |  |  33.3  |  55.3  |  45.9  | Increase 46.3  |  46.1  | Increase 40.8
1971  |  50.4  | Increase 55.3 |  |  |  |  | Increase 40.5  | Increase 41.0
1972  | Increase 45.8 | Increase 37.6 |  |
1973  |
1974  |  30.2  |  45.0  |  43.2  |  43.1

1975  |  42.6  |  48.8  |  |  |  45.1  |  38.5  | Increase 41.8  |  40.1
1976  |  42.6  |  33.3  |  |  |  |
1977  |
1978  | Increase 31.4  | Increase 51.5  | Increase 44.3  |  42.2
1979  | 40.8 | Increase 42.7
|  48.8  |  |  | Increase 42.3  | Increase 41.7
1980  | Increase 42.9  |  32.5  |  | Increase 48.4  | Increase 45.4
1981  |  |  38.3  |
1982  |  | Increase 31.9  |  42.7  |  42.8  |  36.5
Increase 51.3
1983  |  38.2  | Increase 51.3  |  | Increase 46.2  |  39.6  | Increase 43.7
1984  |  37.4  |  32.4  |  |

* * *

1985  |  32.4  | Increase 52.1 | Increase 49.2
1986  |  27.5  |  41.7  | Increase 42.1  |  |
1987  |  37.0  |  50.5  | Increase 45.0  |  40.2  |  38.8  | Increase 45.2
1988  |  32.0  |  |  | Increase 54.8
1989  |  37.3  | Increase 37.3

1990  |  33.5  |  26.0  |  30.4  | 38.2  | Increase 44.2  | 27.0  |  50.0  | Increase 54.4 | 19.1  | 26.0  | 22.8
1991  |  |  |  38.8  | Increase 48.0
| Increase 40.8  |  |  | Increase 44.8  |
1992  |  29.4  |  |  |  |  46.2
1993  |  |  40.4  |
1994  | Increase 36.4  |  32.2  | Increase 30.0  | Increase 54.1 |  | Increase 44.3  | Increase 29.5  |  49.4  |  16.6  | Increase 34.0  | Increase 29.6
1995  |  23.6  |  |  33.4  |  38.0  |  |  |  46.0  |  |  |
1996  |  25.1  |  |  |  |  |  39.8  |  39.8
1997  |  36.2  |  |
1998  | Increase 40.9  |  28.7  |  | Increase 47.9 | Increase 34.3  | Increase 35.9
1999  |  |  30.7  |  22.4
|  39.3  | Increase 42.6  |  39.4  |  |  |  44.4  |  10.7  |  |  18.5
2000  |  |  |  42.8  | Increase 43.1
2001  | Increase 33.3  |  | Increase 36.5  |  | Increase 44.8  |
Increase 29.7
2002  |  38.5  |  | Increase 40.6 |  |  20.0
2003  |  |  19.6  |  42.3  |  29.1  |  33.4  |
2004  |  21.5  |  31.9  |  |  30.5  |  30.8  |  9.8  |  14.5
2005  |  34.2  |  |  37.1  |  |  38.7
2006  |  |  25.2  | Increase 30.8  |  30.2  | Increase 45.6 | Increase 21.4  |
2007  |  |  36.7  |  |  |
2008  |  18.6  |  | Increase 34.1  | Increase 36.7  |  30.3
2009  |  23.0  |  20.8  | Increase 33.0  |  23.7  |  24.5  | Increase 10.4  |  25.4  | Increase 18.5
2010  |  |  34.5

2011  |  23.1  |  28.3  | Increase 38.6  | Increase 48.4  | Increase 35.6  |  35.7  | Increase 21.5
2012  |  |  |  |  |  | Increase 39.1  |  | Increase 30.6  |  | Increase 30.4
2013  | Increase 25.7  | Increase 20.6  | Increase 30.7  | Increase 32.6  |  |  |
2014  |  | Increase 27.3  |  31.9  |  | Increase 12.4  |  12.4
2015  |  |  32.8  |  45.6  |  |
2016  |  12.7  |  21.6  |  |  |  30.6  | Increase 36.2  |  10.6
2017  |  20.5  |  | Increase 36.9  |  |  31.2  |  |  29.6  |  |  27.3
2018  |  |  9.7  |  19.8  |  |
2019  |  15.8  |  26.2  |  24.9  |  7.7  |  8.2
2020  |  |  |  39.2  |  |
2021  | Increase 25.7
|  11.0  |  21.4  |  | Increase 39.6
|  35.7
|  8.4

2022  | TBD  |  26.7  | Increase 43.5
|  16.0
Year  | File:Flag of Germany.svg
DE | File:Flag of Europe.svg
EU |  | File:Flag of Baden-Württemberg.svg
BW | File:Flag of Bavaria (lozengy).svg
BY | File:Flag of Berlin.svg
BE | File:Flag of Brandenburg.svg
BB | File:Flag of Bremen.svg
HB | File:Flag of Hamburg.svg
HH | File:Flag of Hesse.svg
HE | File:Flag of Lower Saxony.svg
NI | File:Flag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.svg
MV | File:Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg
NW | File:Flag of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg
RP | File:Flag of Saarland.svg
SL | File:Flag of Saxony.svg
SN | File:Flag of Saxony-Anhalt (state).svg
ST | File:Flag of Schleswig-Holstein.svg
SH | File:Flag of Thuringia.svg

Bold indicates best result to date.
Present in legislature (in opposition)
Junior coalition partner
Senior coalition partner

## See also[edit | edit source]

* 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[edit | edit source]

1. ^ a b c d e The eastern sections of the SPD were forcibly merged into the SED prior to the 1946 elections in the eastern zone.

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ "Party members: Greens gain, AfD and SPD lose". RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (in German). 14 February 2021.
2. ^ Merkel, Wolfgang; Petring, Alexander; Henkes, Christian; Egle, Christoph (2008). Social Democracy in Power: the capacity to reform. London: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-43820-9.
3. ^ Almeida, Dimitri (2012). The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus. CRC Press. p. 71\. ISBN 978-1-136-34039-0. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
4. ^ Ashley Lavelle (2013). The Death of Social Democracy: Political Consequences in the 21st Century. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 7\. ISBN 978-1-4094-9872-8. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
5. ^ Christopher R. Browning, The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939 – March 1942 (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2004), p. 7.
6. ^ "Where German parties stand on Europe". politico.eu. Politico. 28 August 2017.
7. ^ Buck, Tobias (16 May 2019). "Germany's SPD targets voters' emotions with EU poll campaign". Financial Times.
8. ^ "SPD will Sozialistischer Internationale den Geldhahn zudrehen und den Mitgliedsbeitrag nicht zahlen". Der Spiegel (in German). 22 January 2012. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
9. ^ "Progressive Alliance: Sozialdemokraten gründen weltweites Netzwerk". Der Spiegel. Hamburg, Germany. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
10. ^ Sattar, Majid (22 May 2013). "Sozialdemokratie: "Progressive Alliance" gegründet". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
11. ^ "Sozialistische Internationale hat ausgedient: SPD gründet "Progressive Alliance"". 22 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
12. ^ Christopher R. Browning, The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Poicy, September 1939–March 1942 (Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press and Jerusalem: Yad Vashem, 2004), p. 7.
13. ^ Eatwell, Roger; Wright, Anthony (1999). Contemporary Political Ideologies (2nd ed.). London: Continuum. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-85567-605-3.
14. ^ "GHDI". Nohlen & Stöver.
15. ^ In, for example, the International Socialist Congress, Stuttgart 1907.
16. ^ V. R. Berghahn, Germany and the Approach of War in 1914 (1974) pp. 178–85
17. ^ Dieter Groh, "The 'Unpatriotic Socialists' and the State." Journal of Contemporary History 1.4 (1966): 151–77. online.
18. ^ Winkler, Der lange Weg nach Westen, Beck Verlag Munich, 2000, p. 362
19. ^ Haffner, Sebastian (2002). Die deutsche Revolution 1918/19 (German). Kindler. ISBN 978-3-463-40423-3.
20. ^ The Social Democratic Party of Germany 1848–2005 by Heinrich Potthoff and Susanne Miller
21. ^ Heiden, Konrad (1944). Der Fuehrer: Hitler's Rise to Power. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. pp. 23–24.
22. ^ Kolb, Eberhard (2005). The Weimar Republic. Psychology Press. p. 226\. ISBN 978-0-415-34441-8. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
23. ^ "Biografie Hermann Müller (-Franken) (German)". Bayerische Nationalbibliothek. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
24. ^ "Die Eiserne Front". reichsbanner.de. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
25. ^ Kitson, Alison. Germany, 1858–1990: Hope, Terror, and Revival, pp. 153–54 (Oxford U. Press 2001).
26. ^ William Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Touchstone Edition) (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990)
27. ^ Entscheidung für die SED 1946 – ein Verrat an sozialdemokratischen Idealen?, in: Jahrbuch für Forschungen zur Geschichte der Arbeiterbewegung, No. I/2004.
28. ^ . Federal Returning Officer http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1949.html. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
29. ^ "Godesberg Program in English (PDF)" (PDF). German History Documents.
30. ^ "Schwarz-weiß-rot mit braunen Flecken – Die FDP muß erkennen, daß es rechts von der CDU/CSU nicht viel zu holen gibt". Udo-leuschner.de. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
31. ^ Hofmann, Arne. The emergence of détente in Europe: Brandt, Kennedy and the formation of Ostpolitik. (Routledge, 2007).
32. ^ . Federal Returning Officer http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1972.html. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
33. ^ Jan Eisel (28 September 2012). "Deutscher Bundestag – Das Misstrauensvotum gegen Helmut Schmidt".
34. ^ Wolfgang Grof: "In der frischen Tradition des Herbstes 1989". Die SDP/SPD in der DDR: Von der Gründung über die Volkskammerarbeit zur deutschen Einheit
35. ^ . Federal Returning Officer http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/fruehere_bundestagswahlen/btw1998.html. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
36. ^ "Analysis: German Coalition Deal". BBC News. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
37. ^ "Bundeskanzlerin und Bundeskabinett vereidigt" [Federal Chancellor and cabinet sworn in] (in German). Deutscher Bundestag.
38. ^ "Bundestag reelects Merkel as chancellor". Politico Europe. 14 March 2018.
39. ^ "After SPD win in Germany, is Europe's centre left on the rise?". the Guardian. 28 September 2021.
40. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Olaf Scholz: Germany's new chancellor is level-headed and pragmatic | DW | 08.12.2021". DW.COM.
41. ^ Brustein, William (1996). Logic of Evil: The Social Origins of the Nazi Party 1925–1933. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 131.
42. ^ Cooper, Alice Holmes. Paradoxes of Peace: German Peace Movements since 1945. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. p. 85.
43. ^ Social Democratic Party of Germany (28 October 2007). "Hamburg Programme. Principal guidelines of the Social Democratic Party of Germany" (PDF). Hamburg: Social Democratic Party of Germany. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
44. ^ "Die Europa-Frage(n) | Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)". Archived from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
45. ^ Cliffe, Jeremy (1 December 2019). "The SPD's new left-wing leadership could prove just the jolt Germany needs". New Statesman America.
46. ^ Knight, Ben (2 May 2019). "Collectivization remarks split German Social Democrats". Deutsche Welle.
47. ^ Nils Schnelle (2007). Die WASG – Von der Gründung bis zur geplanten Fusion mit der Linkspartei. Munich.

## Further reading[edit | edit source]

* Orlow, Dietrich. Common Destiny: A Comparative History of the Dutch, French, and German Social Democratic Parties, 1945–1969 (2000) 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. 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.

## External links[edit | edit source]

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* Jens Böhrnsen (Acting)
* Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Chancellor of Germany|

| Weimar Republic
(1918–1933)|

* Friedrich Ebert
* Philipp Scheidemann (as Reich Minister President)
* Gustav Bauer
* Hermann Müller

|

Federal Republic
(1949–present)|

* Willy Brandt
* Helmut Schmidt
* Gerhard Schröder
* Olaf Scholz

Federal chairmen
(since 1946)|

* Kurt Schumacher
* Erich Ollenhauer
* Willy Brandt
* Hans-Jochen Vogel
* Björn Engholm
* Rudolf Scharping
* Oskar Lafontaine
* Gerhard Schröder
* Franz Müntefering
* Matthias Platzeck
* Kurt Beck
* Franz Müntefering
* Sigmar Gabriel
* Martin Schulz
* Andrea Nahles
* Saskia Esken & Norbert Walter-Borjans
* Saskia Esken & Lars Klingbeil

Leaders in the
Bundestag|

* Kurt Schumacher
* Erich Ollenhauer
* Fritz Erler
* Helmut Schmidt
* Herbert Wehner
* Hans-Jochen Vogel
* Hans-Ulrich Klose
* Rudolf Scharping
* Peter Struck
* Ludwig Stiegler
* Franz Müntefering
* Peter Struck
* Frank-Walter Steinmeier
* Thomas Oppermann
* Andrea Nahles
* Rolf Mützenich

General Secretaries
(since 1999)|

* Franz Müntefering
* Olaf Scholz
* Klaus Uwe Benneter
* Hubertus Heil
* Andrea Nahles
* Yasmin Fahimi
* Katarina Barley
* Hubertus Heil
* Lars Klingbeil
* Kevin Kühnert

Governments|

* Kiesinger
* Brandt (I
* II)
* Schmidt (I
* II
* III)
* Schröder (I
* II)
* Merkel (I
* III
* IV)
* Scholz

Affiliated organisations|

* Friedrich Ebert Foundation
* Jusos
* German Trade Union Confederation
* Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund

Related articles|

* Grand coalition
* Social-liberal coalition
* Red–green coalition
* Red–red–green coalition
* Kenya coalition

Category

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Germany

Represented in the Bundestag
(There are 736 seats)|

* SPD (206)
* CDU (152)
* The Greens (118)
* FDP (92)
* AfD (80)
* CSU (45)
* The Left (39)
* SSW (1)

Represented in the European Parliament
(There are 96 seats for Germany)|

| Major parties|

* SPD (16)
* CDU (23)
* The Greens (21)
* FDP (5)
* AfD (9)
* CSU (6)
* The Left (5)
* Free Voters (2)

|

Minor parties|

* Die PARTEI (1)
* Centre Party (1)
* ÖDP (1)
* Family Party (1)
* LKR (1)
* Pirate Party (1)
* Volt (1)

Represented in the 16 state parliament|

| Major parties|

* SPD (16/16)
* CDU (15/16; not in Bavaria)
* The Greens (15/16)
* FDP (12/16)
* AfD (15/16)
* The Left (9/16)
* Free Voters (2/16)

|

Regional parties|

* CSU (85; only in Bavaria)
* BVB/Free Voters (5; only in Brandenburg)
* SSW (4; only in Schleswig-Holstein)
* BfTh (4; only in Thuringia)
* BIW (2; only in Bremen)

Minor parties (without representation
above the district level)|

* Alliance C
* Animal Protection Alliance
* AAPD
* Basic Income Alliance
* Bavaria Party
* Bergpartei, die "ÜberPartei"
* BüSo
* Democracy in Motion
* The Frisians
* dieBasis
* Feminist Party
* German Communist Party
* DSU
* Marxist–Leninist Party
* NPD
* Party for Health Research
* The Humanists
* Party of Reason
* The III. Path
* The Republicans
* The Urbans
* Socialist Equality Party
* Statt Party
* V-Partei3

Notes:

* CDU: does not participate in the state election in Bavaria.

* Greens: are currently not in the state parliament of the Saarland

* FDP: are currently not in state parliaments of Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Saarland and Saxony.

* AfD: are currently not in the state parliament of Schleswig-Holstein.

* The Left: are currently not in the state parliaments of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarlnd and Schleswig-Holstein.

* Free Voters: are currently only in the state parliaments of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate.

* v
* t
* e

Party of European Socialists (PES)

European Parliament group: Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

Parties|

| Member states|

* File:Flag of Austria.svg SPÖ
* File:Flag of Belgium.svg PS
* V
* File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg BSP/БСП
* File:Flag of Croatia.svg SDP
* File:Flag of Cyprus.svg EDEK/ΕΔΕΚ
* File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg ČSSD
* File:Flag of Denmark.svg A
* File:Flag of Estonia.svg SDE
* File:Flag of Finland.svg SDP
* File:Flag of France.svg PS
* File:Flag of Germany.svg SPD
* File:Flag of Greece.svg PA.SO.K./ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ.
* File:Flag of Hungary.svg MSZP
* File:Flag of Ireland.svg Lab
* File:Flag of Italy.svg PD
* PSI
* File:Flag of Latvia.svg Saskaņa
* File:Flag of Lithuania.svg LSDP
* File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg LSAP
* File:Flag of Malta.svg PL
* File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg PvdA
* File:Flag of Poland.svg NL
* UP
* File:Flag of Portugal.svg PS
* File:Flag of Romania.svg PSD
* File:Flag of Slovakia.svg SMER-SD
* File:Flag of Slovenia.svg SD
* File:Flag of Spain.svg PSOE
* File:Flag of Sweden.svg SAP

|

Member parties (non-EU)|

* File:Flag of Norway.svg AP
* File:Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg Lab
* SDLP

Associated parties (EU)|

* File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg PBSD/БСДП

Associated parties (non-EU)|

* File:Flag of Albania.svg PS
* File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg SDP BiH
* File:Flag of Iceland.svg S
* File:Flag of Kosovo.svg VV
* File:Flag of Montenegro.svg DPS
* SDP
* File:Flag of North Macedonia.svg SDSM/СДСМ
* File:Flag of Serbia.svg DS
* File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg SP/PS
* File:Flag of Turkey.svg CHP
* HDP

Observer parties (EU)|

* File:Flag of Latvia.svg LSDSP

Observer parties (non-EU)|

* File:Flag of Andorra.svg PS
* File:Flag of Armenia.svg ARF
* File:Flag of Egypt.svg ESDP/الديمقراطي
* File:Flag of Georgia.svg GD
* File:Flag of Israel.svg HaAvoda/העבודה
* Meretz/מרצ
* File:Flag of Moldova.svg PDM
* File:Flag of Morocco.svg USPT
* File:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg CTP
* File:Flag of Palestine.svg Fatah/فتح
* File:Flag of San Marino.svg PSD
* File:Flag of Tunisia.svg FDTL

Presidents|

* Wilhelm Dröscher
* Robert Pontillon
* Joop den Uyl
* Vítor Constâncio
* Guy Spitaels
* Willy Claes
* Rudolf Scharping
* Robin Cook
* Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
* Sergei Stanishev

Leaders in the
European Parliament|

* Guy Mollet
* Hendrik Fayat
* Pierre Lapie
* Willi Birkelbach
* Käte Strobel
* Francis Vals
* Georges Spénale
* Ludwig Spénale
* Ernest Glinne
* Rudi Arndt
* Jean-Pierre Cot
* Pauline Green
* Enrique Barón Crespo
* Martin Schulz
* Hannes Swoboda
* Gianni Pittella
* Udo Bullmann
* Iratxe García

* * *

European Commissioners|

* Josep Borrell (VP and High Representative of the Union)
* Helena Dalli (Equality)
* Elisa Ferreira (Cohesion and Reforms)
* Paolo Gentiloni (Economy)
* Ylva Johansson (Home Affairs)
* Nicolas Schmit (Jobs)
* Maroš Šefčovič (VP for Interinstitutional Relations)
* Frans Timmermans (Executive VP for European Green Deal and Climate Action)
* Jutta Urpilainen (International Partnerships)
* see Von der Leyen Commission

Heads of government|

* Olaf Scholz (Germany)
* Mette Frederiksen (Denmark)
* Sanna Marin (Finland)
* Robert Abela (Malta)
* António Costa (Portugal)
* Pedro Sánchez (Spain)
* Magdalena Andersson (Sweden)
* Dimitar Kovačevski (North Macedonia)

Heads of state|

* Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Germany)
* George Vella (Malta)
* Borut Pahor (Slovenia)
* Michael D. Higgins (Ireland)
* Zoran Milanović (Croatia)
* Milo Đukanović (Montenegro)
* Stevo Pendarovski (North Macedonia)

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Germany until the end of World War I

Socialist|

* General German Workers' Association (ADAV)
* Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany (SDAP)
* Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
* Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD)
* Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany (MSPD)

Catholic|

* Centre Party (Zentrum)

Liberal|

| Social liberal|

* German Progress Party (DFP)
* Democratic People's Party (DVP)
* German People's Party (DtVP)
* Liberal Union (LV)
* German Free-minded Party (DFsP)
* Free-minded People's Party (FVP)
* Free-minded Union (FV)
* National-Social Association (NSV)
* Democratic Union (DV)
* Progressive People's Party (FVP)

|

National liberal|

* National Liberal Party (NLP)
* Imperial Liberal Party (LRP)

Conservative|

* Free Conservative Party (FKP)
* German Conservative Party (DkP)
* Christian Social Party (CSP)
* German Fatherland Party

Antisemitic|

* German Reform Party (DRP)
* German Social Party (DSP)
* German Social Reform Party (DSRP)

Regionalist|

* Saxon People's Party
* German-Hanoverian Party (DHP)
* Bavarian Peasants' League (BB)
* Polish Party
* Danish Party

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Germany in the Weimar Republic (1918–1933)

* Communist

* Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
* Communist Workers Party of Germany (KAPD)
* Communist Party Opposition (KPO)

* Socialist, Social Democratic and Democratic Socialist

* Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
* Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD)
* Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany (MSPD)
* Old Social Democratic Party of Germany (ASPD)
* Socialist Workers' Party of Germany (SAPD)

* Agrarian

* Bavarian Peasants' League (BB)
* Agricultural League
* Schleswig-Holstein Farmers and Farmworkers Democracy (SHBLD)
* Christian National Peasants' and Farmers' Party (CNBL)
* German Farmers' Party (DBP)

* Catholic

* Bavarian People's Party (BVP)
* Centre Party (Zentrum)
* Christian People's Party (CVP)

* Liberal

* German Democratic Party (DDP)
* German People's Party (DVP)
* German State Party (DStP)

* Conservative

* German National People's Party (DNVP)
* Reich Party of the German Middle Class (WP)
* Reich Party for Civil Rights and Deflation (VRP)
* Christian Social People's Service (CSVD)
* Conservative People's Party (KVP)
* German-Hanoverian Party (DHP)

* Völkische and Nazi

* German Workers' Party (DAP)
* German Social Party (DSP)
* German Socialist Party (DSP)
* Greater German People's Community (GVG)
* National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP)
* German Völkisch Freedom Party (DVFP)
* National Socialist Freedom Movement (NSFB)

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