Politics of Schleswig-Holstein


The politics of Schleswig-Holstein takes place within a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, where the Federal Government of Germany exercises sovereign rights with certain powers reserved to the states of Germany including Schleswig-Holstein. The state has a multi-party system.

History

From 1919 to 1928, the largest parties in Schleswig-Holstein were the Social Democratic Party, German Democratic Party, Conservative Party and German Peoples Party. From 1930 onwards, Schleswig-Holstein was a bastion of Nazi support. In the 1930 Reicshtag elections, the Nazi Party received their highest vote share in Schleswig-Holstein with 27%. In 1932, the Nazi Party won 51% of the vote in Schleswig-Holstein, the only district where Nazis received an absolute majority. The rural areas of Schleswig-Holstein were particularly likely to support the Nazis.

Executive branch

Minister-presidents since 1949

Since the creation of the Federal Republic in 1945, the state's minister-presidents have been:
PeriodMinister-PresidentParty
1945–1947Theodor Steltzer(CDU)
1947–1949Hermann Lüdemann(SPD)
1949–1950Bruno Diekmann(SPD)
1950–1951Walter Bartram(CDU)
1951–1954Friedrich-Wilhelm Lübke(CDU)
1954–1963Kai-Uwe von Hassel(CDU)
1963–1971Helmut Lemke(CDU)
1971–1982Gerhard Stoltenberg(CDU)
1982–1987Uwe Barschel(CDU)
1987–1988Henning Schwarz(CDU)
1988–1993Björn Engholm(SPD)
1993–2005Heide Simonis(SPD)
2005–2012Peter Harry Carstensen(CDU)
2012– 2016Torsten Albig(SPD)
2017–Daniel Günther(CDU)

Legislative branch

The last elections were held on 8 May 2022.

Election results by seat distribution since 1947

YearTotalCDUBündnis 90/ Die GrünenSPDFDPSSWAfDBHE
19477021-436-
19506916-1984-15
19546925-255--10
19586933-2632-5
19626934-2951--
19677334-3041--
19717340-32-1--
19757337-3051--
19797337-3141--
19837439-34-1--
19877433-3641--
19887427-46-1--
19928932-4551--
1996753063342--
2000893354173--
2005693042942--
200995341225144--
201269102263--
201773251021935-
20226934141254--

Constituencies in the Landtag

  • Nordfriesland-Nord
  • Nordfriesland-Süd
  • Flensburg
  • Flensburg-Land
  • Schleswig
  • Dithmarschen-Schleswig
  • Dithmarschen-Süd
  • Echernförde
  • Rendsburg-Ost
  • Rendsburg
  • Neumünster
  • Kiel-Nord
  • Kiel-West
  • Kiel-Ost
  • Plön-Nord
  • Plön-Ostholstein
  • Ostholstein-Nord
  • Ostholstein-Süd
  • Steinburg-West
  • Steinburg-Ost
  • Elmshorn
  • Pinneberg-Nord
  • Pinneberg-Elbmarschen
  • Pinneberg
  • Segeberg-West
  • Segeberg-Ost
  • Norderstedt
  • Stormarn-Nord
  • Stormarn-Mitte
  • Stormarn-Süd
  • Lübeck-Ost
  • Lübeck-West
  • Lübeck-Süd
  • Lauenburg-Nord
  • Lauenburg-Süd

Judicial branch

The Schleswig-Holstein Landesverfassungsgericht was formed in 2008. Until then, Schleswig-Holstein was the last German state without a constitutional court.