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The 1999 Hessian state election was held on 7 February 1999 to elect the members of the 15th Landtag of Hesse. The outgoing government was a coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Greens led by Minister-President Hans Eichel.

The government was unexpectedly defeated, with the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) winning a comfortable plurality and forming a one-seat majority coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). This was despite prior opinion polling indicating the SPD and Greens would be re-elected comfortably and increase their majority. CDU leader Roland Koch was elected Minister-President by the Landtag in early April.

Parties

The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Hesse.

Name Ideology Leader(s) 1995 result
Votes (%) Seats
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands
Christian democracy Roland Koch 39.2%
45 / 110
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands
Social democracy Hans Eichel 38.0%
44 / 110
Grüne Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
Green politics Priska Hinz
Rupert von Plottnitz
11.2%
13 / 110
FDP Free Democratic Party
Freie Demokratische Partei
Classical liberalism Ruth Wagner 7.4%
8 / 110

Opinion polling

Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size
CDU SPD Grüne FDP Others Lead
1999 state election 7 February 1999 43.4 39.4 7.2 5.1 4.9 4.0
Polis 30 Jan 1999 1,016 36 41 10 8 5 5
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 25–28 Jan 1999 1,025 39 42 8.5 5.5 5 3
Infratest dimap 18–24 Jan 1999 1,000 37.5 42 10 7 3.5 4.5
Forsa 20 Jan 1999 ? 36 40 11 7 6 4
Forsa 14 Jan 1999 ? 37 38 12 7 6 1
Infratest dimap 4–10 Jan 1999 1,000 39 42 9 6 4 3
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 30 Nov–3 Dec 1998 1,011 37 45 9 4 5 8
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 2–5 Nov 1998 1,021 38 43 10 4 5 5
1995 state election 19 February 1995 39.2 38.0 11.2 7.4 4.3 1.2

Campaign

During the campaign, the CDU collected signatures opposing the federal government's plan to relax Germany's high standards for dual citizenship, which drew accusations of xenophobia.[1]

Election result

Party Constituency Party list Total
seats
+/-
Votes % Seats Votes % +/- Seats
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 1,265,942 45.34 34 1,215,783 43.42 Increase 4.26 16 50 Increase 5
Social Democratic Party (SPD) 1,158,663 41.50 21 1,102,544 39.37 Increase 1.40 25 46 Increase 2
Alliance 90/The Greens (GRÜNE) 168,325 6.03 0 201,194 7.18 Decrease 4.01 8 8 Decrease 5
Free Democratic Party (FDP) 98,095 3.51 0 142,845 5.10 Decrease 2.35 6 6 Decrease 2
The Republicans (REP) 79,273 2.84 0 75,114 2.68 Increase 0.70 0 0 Steady 0
Human Environment Animal Protection (Tierschutz) 2,056 0.07 0 12,856 0.46 New 0 0 New
League of Free Citizens (BFB) 8,760 0.31 0 10,811 0.39 Increase 0.08 0 0 Steady 0
Free Voters (FWG) 405 0.01 0 10,057 0.36 New 0 0 New
Feminist Party of Germany (FRAUEN) 1,745 0.06 0 6,691 0.24 New 0 0 New
National Democratic Party (NPD) 2,231 0.08 0 5,933 0.21 Decrease 0.07 0 0 Steady 0
Party of Bible-abiding Christians (PBC) 2,164 0.08 0 4,999 0.18 Decrease 0.06 0 0 Steady 0
German Communist Party (DKP) 1,181 0.04 0 3,881 0.14 Increase 0.02 0 0 Steady 0
Natural Law Party (Naturgesetz) 1,515 0.05 0 2,499 0.09 Decrease 0.07 0 0 Steady 0
Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) 138 0.00 0 2,053 0.07 Decrease 0.12 0 0 Steady 0
Party of Willing Workers and Disadvantaged (PASS) 95 0.00 0 1,909 0.07 New 0 0 Steady 0
Civil Rights Movement Soliarity (BüSo) 627 0.02 0 612 0.02 Steady 0.00 0 0 Steady 0
German Homeland Party (DHP) 91 0.00 0 591 0.02 Decrease 0.01 0 0 Steady 0
Independents 540 0.02 0 0 Steady 0
Total 2,791,846 100.00 55 2,800,372 100.00 55 110 Steady 0
Invalid 53,740 1.89 45,214 1.59
Turnout 2,845,586 66.45 2,845,586 66.45 Increase 0.18
Registered voters 4,282,397 4,282,397

References

  1. ^ staatsbuergerschaft Rhein Zeitung online, 5 January 1999

Sources

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