# Politics of Lower Saxony

The Politics of Lower Saxony 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 Lower Saxony. Since 1948 politics in the state has been dominated by the rightist Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the leftist Social Democratic Party. Lower Saxony was one of the origins of the German environmentalist movement in reaction to the state government's support for underground nuclear waste disposal. This led to the formation of the German Green Party in 1980.

## Minister President

Political party:  SPD  DP  CDU
| Portrait | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Election |
| Portrait | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) | Took office | Left office | Days | Political party | Election |
| State of Lower Saxony (1946–present) ||||||||
| British occupation zone of Germany (1946–1949) ||||||||
| State of the Federal Republic of Germany (as of 23 May 1949) ||||||||
| 1 | | Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf (1893–1961) | 9 December 1946 | 26 May 1955 | 3090 | Social Democratic Party | 1947 1951 |
| 2 | | Heinrich Hellwege (1908–1991) | 26 May 1955 | 12 May 1959 | 1447 | German Party | 1955 |
| 3 (1) | | Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf (1893–1961) | 12 May 1959 | 21 December 1961 (died in office) | 954 | Social Democratic Party | 1959 |
| 4 | | Georg Diederichs (1900–1983) | 29 December 1961 | 8 July 1970 | 3113 | Social Democratic Party | 1963 1967 |
| 5 | | Alfred Kubel (1909–1999) | 8 July 1970 | 6 February 1976 (resigned) | 2039 | Social Democratic Party | 1970 1974 |
| 6 | | Ernst Albrecht (1930–2014) | 6 February 1976 | 21 June 1990 | 5249 | Christian Democratic Union | 1974 1978 1982 1986 |
| 7 | | Gerhard Schröder (born 1944) | 21 June 1990 | 27 October 1998 (resigned to become Chancellor) | 3050 | Social Democratic Party | 1990 1994 1998 |
| 8 | | Gerhard Glogowski (born 1943) | 28 October 1998 | 15 October 1999 (resigned) | 352 | Social Democratic Party | 1998 |
| 9 | | Sigmar Gabriel (born 1959) | 15 October 1999 | 4 March 2003 | 1236 | Social Democratic Party | 1998 |
| 10 | | Christian Wulff (born 1959) | 4 March 2003 | 30 June 2010 (resigned to become President) | 2675 | Christian Democratic Union | 2003 2008 |
| 11 | | David McAllister (born 1971) | 1 July 2010 | 19 February 2013 | 964 | Christian Democratic Union | 2008 |
| 12 | | Stephan Weil (born 1958) | 19 February 2013 | Incumbent | 4261 | Social Democratic Party | 2013 2017 2022 |

## Landtag of Lower Saxony
### Party Strength in Landtag

A darkened box under a party in any given year denotes that the party had either not yet been founded, or the party had become defunct, by the date of that election.
| Election year | Total seats | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won |
| Election year | Total seats | SPD | CDU | FDP | GB/BHE | Grüne | DP | KPD | DZP | AfD | Others |
| 1947 | 149 | 65 | 30 | 13 | | | 27 | 8 | 6 | | |
| 1951 | 158 | 64 | 35 | 12 | 21 | | | 2 | 4 | | 20 |
| 1955 | 159 | 59 | 43 | 12 | 17 | | 19 | 2 | 1 | | 6 |
| 1959 | 157 | 65 | 51 | 8 | 13 | | 20 | | | | |
| 1963 | 149 | 73 | 62 | 14 | | | | | | | |
| 1967 | 149 | 66 | 63 | 10 | | | | | | | 10 |
| 1970 | 149 | 75 | 74 | | | | | | | | |
| 1974 | 155 | 67 | 77 | 11 | | | | | | | |
| 1978 | 155 | 72 | 83 | | | | | | | | |
| 1982 | 171 | 63 | 87 | 10 | | 11 | | | | | |
| 1986 | 155 | 66 | 69 | 9 | | 11 | | | | | |
| 1990 | 155 | 71 | 67 | 9 | | 8 | | | | | |
| 1994 | 161 | 81 | 67 | | | 13 | | | | | |
| 1998 | 157 | 83 | 62 | | | 12 | | | | | |
| 2003 | 183 | 63 | 91 | 15 | | 14 | | | | | |
| 2008 | 152 | 48 | 68 | 13 | | 12 | | | | | 11 |
| 2013 | 137 | 49 | 54 | 14 | | 20 | | | | | |
| 2018 | 137 | 55 | 50 | 11 | | 12 | | | | 9 | |
| 2022 | 146 | 57 | 47 | | | 24 | | | | 18 | |

### State Landtag Compositions

* 1st Landtag, following 1947 election
* 2nd Landtag, following 1951 election
* 3rd Landtag, following 1955 election
* 4th Landtag, following 1959 election
* 5th Landtag, following 1963 election
* 6th Landtag, following 1967 election
* 7th Landtag, following 1970 election
* 8th Landtag, following 1974 election
* 9th Landtag, following 1978 election
* 10th Landtag, following 1982 election
* 11th Landtag, following 1986 election
* 12th Landtag, following 1990 election
* 13th Landtag, following 1994 election
* 14th Landtag, following 1998 election
* 15th Landtag, following 2003 election
* 16th Landtag, following 2008 election
* 17th Landtag, following 2013 election
* 18th Landtag, following 2017 election
* 19th Landtag, following 2022 election

### State Election Results Maps

* 1990 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 1994 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 1998 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 2003 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 2008 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 2013 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 2017 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU
* 2022 Lower Saxony state election, Red is SPD, Black is CDU

### Constituencies in the Landtag

* Braunschweig-Nord (01)
* Braunschweig-Süd (02)
* Braunschweig-West (03)
* Peine (04)
* Gifhorn-Nord/Wolfsburg (05)
* Gifhorn-Süd (06)
* Wolfsburg (07)
* Helmstedt (08)
* Wolfenbüttel-Nord (09)
* Wolfenbüttel-Süd/Salzgitter (10)
* Salzgitter (11)
* Göttingen/Harz (12)
* Goslar (13)
* Duderstadt (14)
* Göttingen/Münden (15)
* Göttingen-Stadt (16)
* Northeim (17)
* Einbeck (18)
* Holzminden (19)
* Hildesheim (20)
* Sarstedt/Bad Salzdetfurth (21)
* Alfeld (22)
* Hannover-Döhren (23)
* Hannover-Buchholz (24)
* Hannover-Linden (25)
* Hannover-Richlingen (26)
* Hannover-Mitte (27)
* Laatzen (28)
* Lehrte (29)
* Langenhagen (30)
* Garbsen/Wedemark (31)
* Neustadt/Wunstorf (32)
* Barsinghausen (33)
* Springe (34)
* Bad Pyrmont (35)
* Schaumburg (36)
* Hameln/Rinteln (37)
* Nienburg/Schaumburg (38)
* Nienburg-Nord (39)
* Syke (40)
* Siepholz (41)
* Waldrode (42)
* Soltau (43)
* Bergen (44)
* Celle (45)
* Uelzen (46)
* Elbe (47)
* Lüneburg-Land (48)
* Lüneburg (49)
* Winsen (50)
* Seevetal (51)
* Buchholz (52)
* Rotenburg (53)
* Bremervörde (54)
* Buxtehude (55)
* Stade (56)
* Geestland (57)
* Cuxhaven (58)
* Unterweser (59)
* Osterholz (60)
* Verden (61)
* Oldenburg-Mitte/Süd (62)
* Oldenburg-Nord/West (63)
* Oldenburg-Land (64)
* Delmenhorst (65)
* Cloppenburg-Nord (66)
* Cloppenburg (67)
* Vechta (68)
* Wilhelmshaven (69)
* Friesland (70)
* Wesermarsch (71)
* Ammerland (72)
* Bersenbrück (73)
* Melle (74)
* Bramsche (75)
* Georgsmarienhütte (76)
* Osnabrück-Ost (77)
* Osnabrück-West (78)
* Grafschaft Bentheim (79)
* Lingen (80)
* Meppen (81)
* Papenburg (82)
* Leer (83)
* Leer/Borkum (84)
* Emden/Norden (85)
* Aurich (86)
* Wittmund/Inseln (87)

## Constituencies in the Bundestag

| No | Constituency | Member | 2021 | Voters | 2017 | 2013 | 2009 | 2005 | 2002 | 1998 | 1994 | 1990 |
| 24 | Aurich – Emden | Johann Saathoff | SPD | 191,846 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 25 | Unterems | Gitta Connemann | CDU | 238,506 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 26 | Friesland – Wilhelmshaven – Wittmund | Siemtje Möller | SPD | 189,047 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 27 | Oldenburg - Ammerland | Dennis Rohde | SPD | 228,705 | SPD | SPD | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 28 | Delmenhorst – Wesermarsch – Oldenburg-Land | Susanne Mittag | SPD | 226,827 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 29 | Cuxhaven – Stade II | Daniel Schneider | SPD | 188,602 | CDU | CDU | CDU | Created for 2009 election | Created for 2009 election | Created for 2009 election | Created for 2009 election | Created for 2009 election |
| 30 | Stade I – Rotenburg II | Oliver Grundmann | CDU | 198,576 | CDU | CDU | CDU | Abolished | Abolished | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 31 | Mittelems | Albert Stegemann | CDU | 233,253 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 32 | Cloppenburg - Vechta | Silvia Breher | CDU | 223,948 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 33 | Diepholz – Nienburg I | Axel Knoerig | CDU | 194,371 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 34 | Osterholz – Verden | Andreas Mattfeldt | CDU | 197,490 | CDU | CDU | CDU | Abolished | Abolished | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 35 | Rotenburg I - Heidekreis | Lars Klingbeil | SPD | 168,927 | SPD | CDU | CDU | Abolished | Abolished | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 36 | Harburg | Svenja Stadler | SPD | 201,740 | CDU | CDU | CDU | Abolished | Abolished | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 37 | Lüchow-Dannenberg – Lüneburg | Jakob Blankenburg | SPD | 182,673 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 38 | Osnabrück-Land | André Berghegger | CDU | 199,960 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 39 | Stadt Osnabrück | Manuel Gava | SPD | 195,467 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 40 | Nienburg II – Schaumburg | Marja-Liisa Völlers | SPD | 193,863 | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU |
| 41 | Stadt Hannover I | Adis Ahmetovic | SPD | 176,770 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 42 | Stadt Hannover II | Yasmin Fahimi | SPD | 190,336 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 43 | Hannover-Land I | Rebecca Schamber | SPD | 231,250 | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 44 | Celle – Uelzen | Henning Otte | CDU | 214,482 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 45 | Gifhorn – Peine | Hubertus Heil | SPD | 219,966 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 46 | Hameln-Pyrmont – Holzminden | Johannes Schraps | SPD | 184,471 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 47 | Hannover-Land II | Matthias Miersch | SPD | 238,323 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 48 | Hildesheim | Bernd Westphal | SPD | 215,131 | SPD | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 49 | Salzgitter - Wolfenbüttel | Dunja Kreiser | SPD | 200,922 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 50 | Braunschweig | Christos Pantazis | SPD | 187,721 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU |
| 51 | Helmstedt – Wolfsburg | Falko Mohrs | SPD | 180,147 | SPD | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 52 | Goslar – Northeim – Göttingen II | Frauke Heiligenstadt | SPD | 197,519 | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 53 | Göttingen | Andreas Philippi | SPD | 214,542 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |