2008 Bavarian state election

State election in Bavaria, Germany

2008 Bavarian state election

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| <- 2003 | 28 September 2008 | 2013 ->

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|

* * *

All 187 seats in the Landtag of Bavaria
94 seats needed for a majority
Turnout| 10,612,275 (58.1%)
1.0%
|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
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|  |  |
Leader  | Günther Beckstein | Franz Maget [de] | Hubert Aiwanger
Party  | CSU | SPD | FW
Last election  | 124 seats, 60.7%  | 41 seats, 19.6%  | 0 seats, 4.0%
Seats won  | 92  | 39  | 21
Seat change  |  32  |  2  |  21
Popular vote  | 4,603,960  | 1,972,437  | 1,085,896
Percentage  | 43.4%  | 18.6%  | 10.2%
Swing  |  17.3%  |  1.0%  |  6.2%

* * *

| Fourth party  | Fifth party
|  |
Leader  | Sepp Daxenberger | Martin Zeil
Party  | Greens | FDP
Last election  | 15 seats, 7.7%  | 0 seats, 2.6%
Seats won  | 19  | 16
Seat change  |  4  |  16
Popular vote  | 999,111  | 847,227
Percentage  | 9.4%  | 8.0%
Swing  |  1.7%  |  5.4%

* * *

Results for the single-member constituencies.

* * *

| Minister-President before election

Günther Beckstein
CSU

| Elected Minister-President

Horst Seehofer
CSU

|

The 2008 Bavarian state election was held on 28 September 2008 to elect the members of the Landtag of Bavaria. The result was a historic defeat for the Christian Social Union (CSU), which had governed with a majority uninterrupted since 1962, and had won over 60% of the vote in the 2003 election. Despite polling suggesting that the party would retain its majority with losses, it suffered a 17% swing and came up two seats short of a majority, its worst result since 1954. Minister-President and CSU leader Günther Beckstein subsequently resigned from both posts, and the Landtag elected Horst Seehofer as his successor after the CSU and Free Democratic Party (FDP) came to a coalition agreement.

The Free Voters of Bavaria entered the Landtag for the first time with 10% of the vote; the FDP also won seats for the first time in 14 years. The Left competed in its first Bavarian election, recording a modest result of 4.3%, but failing to win any seats.

## Parties

[edit]

The table below lists parties represented in the 15th Landtag of Bavaria.

Name  | Ideology  | Leader(s)  | 2003 result

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|
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Votes (%)  | Seats
| CSU | Christian Social Union in Bavaria
Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern | Christian democracy | Günther Beckstein | 60.7%  |

124 / 180

| SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands | Social democracy | Franz Maget  | 19.6%  |

41 / 180

| Grüne | Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen | Green politics | Sepp Daxenberger | 7.7%  |

15 / 180

## Opinion polling

[edit]

Polling firm  | Fieldwork date  | Sample
size  | CSU | SPD | Grüne | FW | FDP | Linke | ÖDP | Others  | Lead

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|  |  |  |  |  |
2008 state election | 28 Sep 2008  | –  | 43.4 | 18.6  | 9.4  | 10.2  | 8.0  | 4.3  | 2.0  | 4.1[a] | 24.8
GMS | 20–21 Sep 2008  | 1,010  | 48 | 19  | 10  | 7  | 7  | 4  | 1  | 4[b] | 29
Emnid | 10–18 Sep 2008  | 1,010  | 49 | 20  | 8  | 7  | 8  | 5  | –  | 3  | 29
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 16–18 Sep 2008  | 1,105  | 47 | 20  | 8  | 8  | 9  | 4  | –  | 4  | 27
Infratest dimap | 15–17 Sep 2008  | 1,000  | 47 | 21  | 9  | 7  | 8  | 4  | –  | 4  | 26
Forsa | 8–12 Sep 2008  | 1,101  | 50 | 19  | 9  | 8  | 6  | 4  | –  | 4  | 31
GMS | 6–8 Sep 2008  | 1,006  | 49 | 19  | 11  | 5  | 7  | 4  | 2  | 3[c] | 30
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 28–30 Jul 2008  | 1,038  | 50 | 20  | 9  | 7  | 6  | 4  | –  | 4  | 30
Infratest dimap | 24–28 Jul 2008  | 1,000  | 48 | 22  | 9  | 5  | 8  | 4  | –  | 4  | 26
Emnid | 23 Jun–17 Jul 2008  | ~500  | 51 | 19  | 9  | –  | 7  | 5  | –  | 9[d] | 32
TNS Infratest | 3–8 Jul 2008  | 1,000  | 48 | 21  | 11  | 5  | 8  | 4  | –  | 3  | 27
GMS | 8–9 Jul 2008  | 1,006  | 50 | 20  | 8  | 4  | 5  | 5  | 2  | 6[e] | 30
GMS | 2–6 Jun 2008  | 1,009  | 49 | 20  | 9  | 5  | 5  | 5  | 2  | 5[f] | 29
Infratest dimap | 28–30 Apr 2008  | 1,000  | 48 | 23  | 10  | 5  | 6  | 4  | –  | 4  | 25
mifm München | 21–23 Apr 2008  | 1,000  | 44 | 20  | 11  | 9  | 9  | 3  | –  | 4  | 24
mifm München | 4–14 Apr 2008  | 1,001  | 40 | 19  | 12  | 11  | 11  | 4  | –  | 3  | 21
GMS | 8–14 Apr 2008  | 1,010  | 51 | 20  | 10  | 4  | 6  | 4  | 1  | 4  | 31
GMS | 31 Mar–6 Apr 2008  | 1,512  | 50 | 21  | 10  | 4  | 5  | 4  | –  | 6  | 29
Emnid | 13–27 Feb 2008  | ~500  | 51 | 19  | 11  | 3  | 6  | 4  | –  | 6  | 32
mifm München | 31 Jan–7 Feb 2008  | 1,000  | 50 | 20  | 11  | 4  | 7  | 3  | –  | 5  | 30
Infratest dimap | 3–7 Jan 2008  | 1,000  | 52 | 21  | 10  | 2  | 6  | 3  | –  | 6  | 31
Emnid | 10 Dec 2007–2 Jan 2008  | 800  | 54 | 20  | 10  | –  | 6  | 4  | –  | 6  | 34
GMS | 2–3 Jan 2008  | 1,004  | 56 | 21  | 9  | 3  | 4  | 3  | 1  | 3[g] | 34
GMS | 12–17 Dec 2007  | 1,010  | 55 | 20  | 9  | 4  | 5  | 3  | –  | 4  | 35
Forsa | 5–27 Nov 2007  | 1,002  | 56 | 17  | 9  | 3  | 4  | 4  | –  | 7  | 39
mifm München | 29 Oct–7 Nov 2007  | 1,000  | 53.8 | 19.1  | 9.9  | 1.7  | 7  | 3.2  | –  | 5.3  | 34.7
GMS | 21–22 Oct 2007  | 1,001  | 54 | 23  | 10  | 3  | 4  | 3  | 1  | 2[h] | 31
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 24–26 Sep 2007  | 1,143  | 56 | 22  | 9  | 4  | 4  | 3  | –  | 2  | 34
mifm München | 7–15 Sep 2007  | 1,003  | 53 | 17  | 10  | 3  | 7  | 3  | 1.7  | 4.9[i] | 36
Forsa | 29 Aug–17 Sep 2007  | 1,003  | 57 | 19  | 9  | 2  | 4  | 3  | –  | 6  | 38
Forsa | 28–30 Jul 2007  | 1,002  | 58 | 17  | 9  | 3  | 4  | 3  | –  | 6  | 41
TNS Infratest | 17–19 Jul 2007  | 1,000  | 54 | 22  | 11  | –  | 5  | 3  | –  | 5  | 32
dimap | 13–19 Jul 2007  | 1,000  | 58 | 18  | 11  | –  | 4  | 4  | –  | 5  | 40
GMS | 13–18 Jun 2007  | 1,010  | 54 | 18  | 9  | 4  | 8  | 3  | –  | 4  | 36
Forsa | 4–14 Jun 2007  | 1,001  | 56 | 16  | 9  | 3  | 6  | 3  | –  | 7  | 40
Forsa | 25 Apr–8 May 2007  | 1,036  | 56 | 17  | 9  | 3  | 6  | 3  | –  | 6  | 39
Forsa | 19 Mar–2 Apr 2007  | 1,012  | 54 | 20  | 9  | 3  | 4  | 3  | –  | 7  | 34
Infratest dimap | 22–25 Mar 2007  | 1,002  | 53 | 23  | 10  | 2  | 6  | 2  | –  | 4  | 30
GMS | 5–8 Mar 2007  | 1,012  | 53 | 20  | 9  | 4  | 7  | 2  | 1  | 4[j] | 33
Forsa | 15–26 Feb 2007  | 1,002  | 53 | 19  | 9  | 3  | 6  | 3  | –  | 7  | 34
GMS | 22–25 Jan 2007  | 1,011  | 52 | 22  | 9  | 4  | 7  | 2  | 2  | 2[k] | 30
Infratest dimap | 19–20 Jan 2007  | 1,000  | 52 | 24  | 9  | –  | 7  | –  | –  | 8  | 28
Infratest dimap | 15 Jan 2007  | 1,000  | 50 | 24  | 11  | –  | 8  | –  | –  | 7  | 26
Forsa | 10–12 Jan 2007  | 1,007  | 49 | 22  | 9  | 3  | 6  | 4  | –  | 7  | 27
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | 12–13 Jan 2007  | 1,142  | 45 | 27  | 10  | –  | 9  | –  | –  | 9  | 18
Infratest dimap | 3–4 Jan 2007  | 1,000  | 54 | 22  | 9  | –  | 7  | –  | –  | 8  | 32
Forsa | 27–29 Dec 2006  | 1,009  | 54 | 18  | 9  | 3  | 5  | 4  | –  | 7  | 36
GMS | 18–23 Dec 2006  | 1,006  | 54 | 20  | 10  | 2  | 8  | 2  | 2  | 2[l] | 34
Forsa | 24 Nov–5 Dec 2006  | 1,026  | 56 | 17  | 10  | 2  | 5  | 4  | –  | 6  | 39
Forsa | 23 Oct–7 Nov 2006  | 1,004  | 54 | 19  | 9  | 2  | 7  | 3  | –  | 6  | 35
GMS | 6–8 Oct 2006  | 1,002  | 53 | 22  | 8  | 3  | 8  | 3  | 1  | 2[m] | 31
Forsa | 18 Sep–4 Oct 2006  | 1,006  | 54 | 18  | 9  | 2  | 8  | 3  | –  | 6  | 36
Infratest dimap | 28 Sep–1 Oct 2006  | 1,000  | 49 | 24  | 10  | 2  | 8  | 1  | –  | 6  | 25
Forsa | 20 Aug–5 Sep 2006  | 1,005  | 58 | 16  | 10  | –  | 6  | 3  | –  | 7  | 42
Forsa | 3–12 Jul 2006  | 1,004  | 56 | 16  | 10  | 3  | 6  | 4  | –  | 5  | 40
GMS | 9–14 Jun 2006  | 1,002  | 54 | 18  | 11  | 2.0  | 8  | 2.5  | –  | 4.5  | 36
Forsa | 12–17 May 2006  | 1,002  | 52 | 18  | 9  | 3  | 10  | 3  | –  | 5  | 34
Emnid | 20 Apr–9 May 2006  | 1,000  | 53 | 23  | 9  | –  | 5  | –  | –  | 10  | 30
Forsa | 22–24 Feb 2006  | 1,003  | 52 | 21  | 9  | 4  | 6  | 3  | –  | 5  | 31
Infratest dimap | 12–15 Jan 2006  | 1,000  | 53 | 22  | 10  | 2  | 7  | 2[n] | –  | 4  | 31
Forsa | 4–11 Jan 2006  | 1,114  | 49 | 24  | 10  | –  | 6  | 3[o] | –  | 8[p] | 25
Peinelt | 17 Nov–9 Dec 2005  | 1,067  | 45.9 | 21.5  | 8.6  | 4.2  | 11.8  | –  | –  | 8.0[q] | 24.4
GMS | 17–21 Dec 2005  | 1,001  | 56 | 22  | 7  | 4  | 4  | 2  | 1  | 4[r] | 34
Infratest dimap | 15–16 Nov 2005  | 1,000  | 45 | 24  | 10  | –  | 11  | 3  | –  | 7  | 21
Forsa | 4–7 Nov 2005  | 1,001  | 49 | 21  | 9  | –  | 9  | 4  | –  | 8[s] | 28
Infratest dimap | 21–24 Jul 2005  | 1,000  | 59 | 18  | 9  | –  | 4  | 4  | –  | 6  | 41
Infratest dimap | 5–9 Jan 2005  | 1,000  | 56 | 22  | 10  | –  | 5  | –  | –  | 7  | 34
Infratest dimap | 21–25 Jul 2004  | 1,000  | 58 | 17  | 12  | –  | 5  | –  | –  | 8  | 41
GMS | 17–20 Mar 2004  | 1,009  | 61.0 | 19.0  | 10.0  | 1.5  | 3.0  | 0.5  | 2.0  | 3.0[t] | 42
Infratest dimap | 2–5 Jan 2004  | 1,000  | 62 | 19  | 9  | –  | 3  | –  | –  | 7  | 43
2003 state election | 21 Sep 2003  | –  | 60.7 | 19.6  | 7.7  | 4.0  | 2.6  | –  | 2.0  | 3.4[u] | 41.1

## Election result

[edit]

Party| Votes| %| +/–| Seats| +/–
| Christian Social Union (CSU)| 4,603,960| 43.38| -17.3| 92| -32
| Social Democratic Party (SPD)| 1,972,437| 18.59| -1.0| 39| -2
| Free Voters of Bavaria (FW)| 1,085,896| 10.23| +6.2| 21| +21
| Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)| 999,111| 9.41| +1.7| 19| +4
| Free Democratic Party (FDP)| 847,227| 7.98| +5.4| 16| +16
| The Left (Linke)| 461,755| 4.35| New| 0| New
| Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP)| 212,200| 2.00| –| 0| ±0
| The Republicans (REP)| 146,073| 1.38| -0.9| 0| ±0
| National Democratic Party (NPD)| 123,399| 1.16| +1.2| 0| ±0
| Bavaria Party (BP)| 116,464| 1.10| +0.3| 0| ±0
| Pensioners' Party (RRP)| 19,760| 0.19| New| 0| New
| The Violets (Violetten)| 15,465| 0.15| New| 0| New
| Citizens' Bloc (BB)| 7,306| 0.07| –| 0| ±0
| Civil Rights Movement Solidarity (BüSo)| 1,222| 0.01| -0.1| 0| ±0
Total| 10,612,275| 100.00| –| 187| –

| Popular vote

|  |
CSU |

| 43.38%
SPD |

| 18.59%
FW |

| 10.23%
B'90/GRÜNE |

| 9.41%
FDP |

| 7.98%
DIE LINKE |

| 4.35%
Other |

| 6.06%

| Landtag seats

|  |
CSU |

| 49.19%
SPD |

| 20.86%
FW |

| 11.23%
B'90/GRÜNE |

| 10.16%
FDP |

| 8.56%

## See also

[edit]

* 2003 Bavaria state election

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ 1.4% REP, 2.7% Other
2. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 3% Other
3. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 2% Other
4. ^ 2% Right-wing parties, 7% Other
5. ^ 2% Right-wing parties, 4% Other
6. ^ 2% Right-wing parties, 3% Other
7. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 2% Other
8. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 1% Other
9. ^ 2.3% REP, 1.1% BP, 1.5% Other
10. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 3% Other
11. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 1% Other
12. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 1% Other
13. ^ 1% Right-wing parties, 1% Other
14. ^ WASG
15. ^ WASG
16. ^ 3% Right-wing parties, 5% Other
17. ^ 4.3% REP, 3.7% Other
18. ^ 2% Right-wing parties, 2% Other
19. ^ 3% Right-wing parties, 5% Other
20. ^ 1.0% REP, 2.0% Other
21. ^ 2.2% REP, 1.2% Other

## References

[edit]

## External links

[edit]

* Official results (in German)
* Article by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German)

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