# Politics of North Rhine-Westphalia

The politics of North Rhine-Westphalia takes place within a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. The two main parties are the Centre-right Christian Democratic Union and the Centre-left Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
North Rhine-Westphalia uses mixed member proportional representation in the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. Every five years the citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia secretly vote in a general election to elect least 181 members of the Landtag. First-past-the-post voting determines 128 of the minimum 181 members of the Landtag. The remaining seats available to each party is determine by the party-list proportional representation. only parties who win at least 5% of the votes cast may be represented in parliament.

## History of politics in North Rhine-Westphalia

From 1966 to 2005, North Rhine-Westphalia was continuously governed by the Social Democrats or SPD-led governments. The 2005 state election granted the CDU an unexpected victory. Their top candidate Jürgen Rüttgers formed a coalition government with the FDP. With the result of the 2010 state elections, this government lost its majority in parliament. After many coalition talks, SPD and the Greens have agreed on a minority government.

## Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia
### Legislation

The task of legislating is split between the Landtag and the Bundestag. The Bundestag is responsible for all matters which directly affect Germany as a whole. States can only participate in this area through the Bundesrat. The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia is responsible for cultural matters, the education system, matters of internal security, i.e. the police, building supervision, health supervision and the media within North Rhine-Westphalia. The Landtag may enact laws as long as the Bundestag does not make use of its right to legislate.
The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia, the parliamentary parties and groups consisting of at least 7 members of parliament have the right to table legal proposals to the Landtag for deliberation. In consultation with the Ältestenrat, the President of the Landtag places the draft bill on the plenary session's agenda. Firstly, the minister responsible, or one of the members who is filing the bill, introduces it to the plenary session and justifies the reasons for introducing it. During this First Reading, if the bill is politically sensitive, there is usually a fundamental debate about the law. Normally, the debate ends with the draft bill being referred to the overall control of the appropriate expert committee and, if necessary, being referred to other committees as well, which may also become involved in the advisory process.
This is when the detailed work begins for the experts in the individual parliamentary parties. External expert witnesses are often brought in to evaluate the legal proposals. They provide statements during what are known as "hearings" and make their contribution to the process of arriving at a decision which is right and proper. Preparations for the expert committees also take place in the parliamentary party working groups. The weekly parliamentary party meetings are a forum for exchanging information between committee members and other Members of Parliament.
The draft bill is examined down to the last detail in a small group, before appearing for a second time on the agenda of the plenary session, when it is debated afresh on the basis of the committee report. Every Member of Parliament now has another opportunity to table amendments. In this Second Reading, once members have decided which tabled amendments to accept, it is usual for the final vote concerning the law to take place.
Constitutional changes and budgetary laws are debated in three Readings. For other proposed legislation, a parliamentary party or a quarter of all members of parliament can apply for there to be a Third Reading and, if necessary, further committee consultations.
The law passed by the Landtag is delivered to the Minister-President, who, together with the ministers involved, is required to sign it and announce it in the Law and Ordinance Gazette. When the law comes into force is normally determined by the legislation itself, most usually the day after its announcement.

### Election results

Since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany, the election results in the state have been:
State election results from 1947 to 2022 :
| Year | SPD | CDU | FDP | Grüne | AfD | Other | Government |
| 1947 | 32.0% | 37.6% | 6.0% | | | KPD 14.0% Zentrum 9.8% Other 0.8% | CDU–SPD–KPD–Z |
| 1950 | 32.3% | 36.9% | 12.1% | | | Zentrum 7.5% KPD 5.5% Other 5.7% | CDU–Z |
| 1954 | 34.5% | 41.3% | 11.5% | | | Zentrum 4.0% Other 8.7% | CDU–FDP–Z |
| 1954 | 34.5% | 41.3% | 11.5% | | | Zentrum 4.0% Other 8.7% | SPD–FDP–Z |
| 1958 | 39.2% | 50.5% | 7.1% | | | 3.2% | CDU |
| 1962 | 43.3% | 46.4% | 6.9% | | | 3.4% | CDU–FDP |
| 1966 | 49.5% | 42.8% | 7.4% | | | 0.3% | SPD–FDP |
| 1970 | 46.1% | 46.3% | 5.5% | | | 2.1% | SPD–FDP |
| 1975 | 45.1% | 47.1% | 6.7% | | | 1.1% | SPD–FDP |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 43.2% | 4.98% | 3.0% | | 0.4% | SPD |
| 1985 | 52.1% | 36.5% | 6.0% | 4.6% | | 0.8% | SPD |
| 1990 | 50.0% | 36.7% | 5.8% | 5.05% | | 2.5% | SPD |
| 1995 | 46.0% | 37.7% | 4.0% | 10.0% | | 2.3% | SPD–Grüne |
| 2000 | 42.8% | 37.0% | 9.8% | 7.1% | | 3.3% | SPD–Grüne |
| 2005 | 37.1% | 44.8% | 6.2% | 6.2% | | 3.5% | CDU–FDP |
| 2010 | 34.5% | 34.6% | 6.7% | 12.1% | | Linke 5.6% Other 5.5% | SPD–Grüne (minority) |
| 2012 | 39.1% | 26.3% | 8.6% | 11.3% | | Pirates 7.8% Other 6.9% | SPD–Grüne |
| 2017 | 31.2% | 33.0% | 12.6% | 6.4% | 7.4% | 9.4% | CDU–FDP |
| 2022 | 26.7% | 35.7% | 5.9% | 18.2% | 5.4% | 8.2% | CDU–Grüne |

## Party Strength in Landtag

| Election year | Total seats | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won |
| Election year | Total seats | CDU | SPD | FDP | DZP | Grüne | AfD | Other |
| 1947 | 216 | 92 | 64 | 12 | 20 | | | 28 |
| 1950 | 215 | 93 | 68 | 26 | 16 | | | 12 |
| 1954 | 200 | 90 | 76 | 25 | 9 | | | |
| 1958 | 200 | 104 | 81 | 15 | | | | |
| 1962 | 200 | 96 | 90 | 14 | | | | |
| 1966 | 200 | 86 | 99 | 15 | | | | |
| 1970 | 200 | 95 | 94 | 11 | | | | |
| 1975 | 200 | 95 | 91 | 14 | | | | |
| 1980 | 201 | 95 | 106 | | | | | |
| 1985 | 227 | 88 | 125 | 14 | | | | |
| 1990 | 237 | 89 | 122 | 14 | | 12 | | |
| 1995 | 231 | 89 | 108 | | | 24 | | |
| 2000 | 231 | 88 | 102 | 24 | | 17 | | |
| 2005 | 187 | 89 | 74 | 12 | | 12 | | |
| 2010 | 181 | 67 | 67 | 13 | | 23 | | 11 |
| 2012 | 237 | 67 | 99 | 22 | | 29 | | 20 |
| 2017 | 199 | 72 | 69 | 28 | | 14 | 16 | |
| 2022 | 195 | 76 | 56 | 12 | | 39 | 12 | |

### State Landtag Compositions

* 1st Landtag, following 1947 election
* 2nd Landtag, following 1950 election
* 3rd Landtag, following 1954 election
* 4th Landtag, following 1958 election
* 5th Landtag, following 1962 election
* 6th Landtag, following 1966 election
* 7th Landtag, following 1970 election
* 8th Landtag, following 1975 election
* 9th Landtag, following 1980 election
* 10th Landtag, following 1985 election
* 11th Landtag, following 1990 election
* 12th Landtag, following 1995 election
* 13th Landtag, following 2000 election
* 14th Landtag, following 2005 election
* 15th Landtag, following 2010 election
* 16th Landtag, following 2012 election
* 17th Landtag, following 2017 election
* 18th Landtag, following 2022 election

### State Election Results Maps

* 1947 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1950 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1954 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1958 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1962 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1966 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1970 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1975 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1980 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1985 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1990 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 1995 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2000 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2005 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2010 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2012 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2017 North Rhine-Westphalia state election
* 2022 North Rhine-Westphalia state election

### Constituencies in the Landtag

Cologne Administrative District
* Aachen I (01)
* Aachen II (02)
* Aachen III (03)
* Aachen IV (04)
* Rhein-Erft-Kreis I (05)
* Rhein-Erft-Kreis II (06)
* Rhein-Erft-Kreis III (07)
* Euskirchen I (08)
* Heinsberg I (09)
* Heinsberg II (10)
* Düren I (11)
* Düren II – Euskirchen II (12)
* Cologne I (13)
* Cologne II (14)
* Cologne III (15)
* Cologne IV (16)
* Cologne V (17)
* Cologne VI (18)
* Cologne VII (19)
* Leverkusen (20)
* Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis I (21)
* Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis II (22)
* Oberbergischer Kreis I (23)
* Oberbergischer Kreis II (24)
* Rhein-Sieg-Kreis I (25)
* Rhein-Sieg-Kreis II (26)
* Rhein-Sieg-Kreis III – Euskirchen III (27)
* Rhein-Sieg-Kreis IV (28)
* Rhein-Sieg-Kreis V (29)
* Bonn I (30)
* Bonn II (31)
Düsseldorf Administrative District
* Wuppertal I (32)
* Wuppertal II (33)
* Wuppertal III – Solingen II (34)
* Solingen I (35)
* Remscheid – Oberbergischer Kreis III (36)
* Mettmann I (37)
* Mettmann II (38)
* Mettmann III – Mülheim II (39)
* Mettmann IV (40)
* Düsseldorf I (41)
* Düsseldorf II (42)
* Düsseldorf III (43)
* Düsseldorf IV (44)
* Rhein-Kreis Neuss I (45)
* Rhein-Kreis Neuss II (46)
* Rhein-Kreis Neuss III (47)
* Krefeld I – Viersen III (48)
* Krefeld II (49)
* Mönchengladbach I (50)
* Mönchengladbach II (51)
* Viersen I (52)
* Viersen II (53)
* Kleve I (54)
* Kleve II (55)
* Oberhausen I (56)
* Oberhausen II – Wesel I (57)
* Wesel II (58)
* Wesel III (59)
* Wesel IV (60)
* Duisburg I (61)
* Duisburg II (62)
* Duisburg III (63)
* Mülheim I (64)
* Essen I (65)
* Essen II (66)
* Essen III (67)
* Essen IV (68)
Münster Administrative District
* Recklinghausen I (69)
* Recklinghausen II (70)
* Recklinghausen III (71)
* Recklinghausen IV (72)
* Gelsenkirchen I – Recklinghausen V (73)
* Gelsenkirchen II (74)
* Bottrop – Recklinghausen VI (75)
* Borken I (76)
* Borken II (77)
* Coesfeld I – Borken III (78)
* Coesfeld II (79)
* Steinfurt I (80)
* Steinfurt II (81)
* Steinfurt III (82)
* Münster I – Steinfurt IV (83)
* Münster II (84)
* Münster III – Coesfeld III (85)
* Warendorf I (86)
* Warendorf II (87)
Detmold Administrative District
* Minden-Lübbecke I (88)
* Minden-Lübbecke II (89)
* Herford I (90)
* Herford II – Minden-Lübbecke III (91)
* Bielefeld I (92)
* Bielefeld II (93)
* Gütersloh I – Bielefeld III (94)
* Gütersloh II (95)
* Gütersloh III (96)
* Lippe I (97)
* Lippe II – Herford III (98)
* Lippe III (99)
* Paderborn I (100)
* Paderborn II (101)
* Höxter (102)
Arnsberg Administrative District
* Hagen I (103)
* Hagen II – Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis III (104)
* Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis I (105)
* Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis II (106)
* Bochum I (107)
* Bochum II (108)
* Bochum III (109)
* Herne (110)
* Dortmund I (111)
* Dortmund II (112)
* Dortmund III (113)
* Dortmund IV (114)
* Unna I (115)
* Unna II (116)
* Unna III – Hamm II (117)
* Hamm I (118)
* Soest I (119)
* Soest II (120)
* Märkischer Kreis I (121)
* Märkischer Kreis II (122)
* Märkischer Kreis III (123)
* Hochsauerlandkreis I (124)
* Hochsauerlandkreis II (125)
* Siegen-Wittgenstein I (126)
* Siegen-Wittgenstein II (127)
* Olpe (128)

## Constituencies in the Bundestag

| No | Constituency | Member | 2021 | Voters | 2017 | 2013 | 2009 | 2005 | 2002 | 1998 | 1994 | 1990 |
| 86 | Aachen I | Oliver Krischer | Grüne | 176,306 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 87 | Aachen II | Claudia Moll | SPD | 226,420 | SPD | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 88 | Heinsberg | Wilfried Oellers | CDU | 192,346 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 89 | Düren | Thomas Rachel | CDU | 199,656 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 90 | Rhein-Erft-Kreis I | Georg Kippels | CDU | 249,035 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 91 | Euskirchen – Rhein-Erft-Kreis II | Detlef Seif | CDU | 249,198 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 92 | Cologne I | Sanae Abdi | SPD | 190,630 | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 93 | Cologne II | Sven Lehmann | Grüne | 242,483 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 94 | Cologne III | Rolf Mützenich | SPD | 204,539 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 95 | Bonn | Katrin Uhlig | Grüne | 230,215 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 96 | Rhein-Sieg-Kreis I | Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker | CDU | 238,627 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 97 | Rhein-Sieg-Kreis II | Norbert Röttgen | CDU | 216,063 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 98 | Oberbergischer Kreis | Carsten Brodesser | CDU | 206,640 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 99 | Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis | Hermann-Josef Tebroke | CDU | 217,193 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 100 | Leverkusen – Cologne IV | Erwin Rüddel | SPD | 209,102 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election |
| 101 | Wuppertal I | Helge Lindh | SPD | 202,528 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 102 | Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II | Ingo Schäfer | SPD | 220,204 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU |
| 103 | Mettmann I | Klaus Wiener | CDU | 203,030 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 104 | Mettmann II | Peter Beyer | CDU | 160,175 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 105 | Düsseldorf I | Thomas Jarzombek | CDU | 220,827 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 106 | Düsseldorf II | Andreas Rimkus | SPD | 190,102 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 107 | Neuss I | Hermann Gröhe | CDU | 213,250 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 108 | Mönchengladbach | Günter Krings | CDU | 185,185 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 109 | Krefeld I – Neuss II | Ansgar Heveling | CDU | 200,048 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election |
| 110 | Viersen | Martin Plum | CDU | 227,166 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 111 | Kleve | Erwin Rüddel | CDU | 224,463 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 112 | Wesel I | Daniel Rinkert | SPD | 206,270 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 113 | Krefeld II – Wesel II | Jan Dieren | SPD | 175,852 | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election |
| 114 | Duisburg I | Bärbel Bas | SPD | 163,394 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 115 | Duisburg II | Mahmut Özdemir | SPD | 155,265 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 116 | Oberhausen – Wesel III | Dirk Vöpel | SPD | 199,156 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 117 | Mülheim – Essen I | Sebastian Fiedler | SPD | 182,895 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 118 | Essen II | Dirk Heidenblut | SPD | 156,298 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 119 | Essen III | Matthias Hauer | CDU | 190,335 | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 120 | Recklinghausen I | Frank Schwabe | SPD | 165,193 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 121 | Recklinghausen II | Erwin Rüddel | SPD | 186,413 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 122 | Gelsenkirchen | Markus Töns | SPD | 168,496 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 123 | Steinfurt I – Borken I | Jens Spahn | CDU | 202,388 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election | Created for 2002 election |
| 124 | Bottrop – Recklinghausen III | Michael Gerdes | SPD | 199,344 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 125 | Borken II | Anne König | CDU | 201,102 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 126 | Neuwied | Marc Henrichmann | CDU | 194,695 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 127 | Steinfurt III | Anja Karliczek | CDU | 195,513 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU |
| 128 | Münster | Maria Klein-Schmeink | Grüne | 233,953 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 129 | Warendorf | Henning Rehbaum | CDU | 208,754 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 130 | Gütersloh I | Ralph Brinkhaus | CDU | 234,177 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 131 | Bielefeld – Gütersloh II | Wiebke Esdar | SPD | 243,059 | SPD | SPD | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 132 | Herford – Minden-Lübbecke II | Stefan Schwartze | SPD | 226,894 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 133 | Minden-Lübbecke I | Achim Post | SPD | 201,888 | SPD | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 134 | Lippe I | Jürgen Berghahn | SPD | 224,415 | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 135 | Höxter – Gütersloh III – Lippe II | Christian Haase | CDU | 172,435 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 136 | Paderborn | Carsten Linnemann | CDU | 231,534 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 137 | Hagen – Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis I | Timo Schisanowski | SPD | 201,594 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 138 | Neuwied | Axel Echeverria | SPD | 175,283 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 139 | Bochum I | Axel Schäfer | SPD | 202,393 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 140 | Herne – Bochum II | Michelle Müntefering | SPD | 173,939 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 141 | Dortmund I | Jens Peick | SPD | 206,727 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 142 | Dortmund II | Sabine Poschmann | SPD | 199,317 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 143 | Unna I | Oliver Kaczmarek | SPD | 194,493 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 144 | Hamm – Unna II | Michael Thews | SPD | 231,226 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |
| 145 | Soest | Hans-Jürgen Thies | CDU | 231,811 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 146 | Hochsauerlandkreis | Friedrich Merz | CDU | 200,496 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 147 | Siegen-Wittgenstein | Volkmar Klein | CDU | 207,672 | CDU | CDU | CDU | SPD | SPD | SPD | CDU | CDU |
| 148 | Olpe – Märkischer Kreis I | Florian Müller | CDU | 203,350 | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU | CDU |
| 149 | Märkischer Kreis II | Paul Ziemiak | CDU | 195,816 | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD | SPD |