# Bautzen I

Bautzen I is an electoral constituency (German: Wahlkreis) represented in the Bundestag. It elects one member via first-past-the-post voting. Under the current constituency numbering system, it is designated as constituency 155. It is located in eastern Saxony, comprising most of the Bautzen district.
Bautzen I was created for the 2009 federal election. Since 2017, it has been represented by Karsten Hilse of the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

## Geography

Bautzen I is located in eastern Saxony. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the Bautzen district, excluding five south-western municipalities near Dresden: Arnsdorf, Großröhrsdorf, Ottendorf-Okrilla, Radeberg, and Wachau (these five have been part of Dresden II – Bautzen II since 2009).
The constituency is in the central area of Sorbian settlement and of the Upper Sorbian language, of which many cultural institutions are housed in the town of Bautzen/Budyšin.

## History

Bautzen I was created in 2009 and contained parts of the abolished constituencies of Kamenz – Hoyerswerda – Großenhain and Bautzen – Weißwasser. In the 2009 election, it was constituency 157 in the numbering system. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 156. From the 2025 election, it has been number 155. Its borders have not changed since its creation.

## Members

The constituency was first represented by Maria Michalk of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 2009 to 2017. Karsten Hilse of the AfD was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021.
| Election | Member | Party | % |
| 2009 | Maria Michalk | CDU | 42.3 |
| 2013 | Maria Michalk | CDU | 49.2 |
| 2017 | Karsten Hilse | AfD | 33.2 |
| 2021 | Karsten Hilse | AfD | 33.4 |

## Election results
### 2025 election

Federal election (2025): Bautzen I :
| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | AfD | Y Karsten Hilse | Y Karsten Hilse | 77,339 | 48.3 | 14.9 | 73,914 | 46.0 | 14.2 |
| | CDU | Steffen Roschek | Steffen Roschek | 38,642 | 24.1 | 1.9 | 32,190 | 20.0 | 1.4 |
| | BSW | | | | | | 14,695 | 9.1 | New |
| | Left | Caren Lay | Caren Lay | 15,655 | 9.8 | 0.8 | 12,469 | 7.8 | 0.0 |
| | SPD | Kathrin Michel | Kathrin Michel | 11,385 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 10,375 | 6.5 | 10.5 |
| | FDP | Dietrich Schniebel | Dietrich Schniebel | 4,199 | 2.6 | 5.4 | 5,002 | 3.1 | 7.8 |
| | Greens | Frank Schmidt | Frank Schmidt | 3,483 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 4,691 | 2.9 | 1.1 |
| | FW | Mike Hauschild | Mike Hauschild | 8,049 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 3,056 | 1.9 | 0.7 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 1,922 | 1.2 | 0.7 |
| | PARTEI | | | | | | 799 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| | BD | Maik Lehmann | Maik Lehmann | 1,463 | 0.9 | New | 642 | 0.4 | New |
| | Volt | | | | | | 472 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 237 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| | Humanists | | | | | | 113 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 53 | <0.1 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,596 | | | 1,181 | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 160,215 | | | 160,630 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 161,811 | 80.7 | 3.7 | | | |
| | AfD hold | AfD hold | Majority | 38,697 | 24.2 | 16.8 | | | |

### 2021 election

Federal election (2021): Bautzen I :
| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | AfD | Y Karsten Hilse | Y Karsten Hilse | 52,492 | 33.4 | 0.2 | 50,050 | 31.9 | 0.9 |
| | CDU | Roland Ermer | Roland Ermer | 40,929 | 26.0 | 4.5 | 29,213 | 18.6 | 8.5 |
| | SPD | Kathrin Michel | Kathrin Michel | 21,006 | 13.4 | 3.4 | 26,674 | 17.0 | 7.9 |
| | Left | Caren Lay | Caren Lay | 14,134 | 9.0 | 6.3 | 12,272 | 7.8 | 6.4 |
| | FDP | Matthias Schniebel | Matthias Schniebel | 12,634 | 8.0 | 2.2 | 17,187 | 10.9 | 3.3 |
| | FW | Dirk Nasdala | Dirk Nasdala | 5,341 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 4,157 | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| | Greens | Lukas Mosler | Lukas Mosler | 4,090 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 6,247 | 4.0 | 1.6 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 2,951 | 1.9 | 0.5 |
| | PARTEI | Steffi Thomas | Steffi Thomas | 3,398 | 2.2 | | 2,104 | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| | dieBasis | Daniela Trittmacher | Daniela Trittmacher | 2,644 | 1.7 | | 2,296 | 1.5 | |
| | Gesundheitsforschung | | | | | | 957 | 0.6 | |
| | The Homeland | | | | | | 601 | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 542 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| | LKR | Maik Lehmann | Maik Lehmann | 467 | 0.3 | | | | |
| | Team Todenhöfer | | | | | | 330 | 0.2 | |
| | Volt | | | | | | 320 | 0.2 | |
| | The III. Path | | | | | | 273 | 0.2 | |
| | Bündnis C | | | | | | 256 | 0.2 | |
| | ÖDP | | | | | | 251 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| | Humanists | | | | | | 171 | 0.1 | |
| | DKP | | | | | | 96 | 0.1 | |
| | V-Partei3 | | | | | | 71 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 69 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,098 | | | 2,145 | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 157,135 | | | 157,088 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 159,233 | 77.0 | 1.6 | | | |
| | AfD hold | AfD hold | Majority | 11,563 | 7.4 | 4.7 | | | |

### 2017 election

Federal election (2017): Bautzen I :
| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | AfD | Karsten Hilse | Karsten Hilse | 52,770 | 33.2 | | 52,041 | 32.8 | 25.7 |
| | CDU | Roland Ermer | Roland Ermer | 48,579 | 30.6 | 18.6 | 42,995 | 27.1 | 18.5 |
| | Left | Caren Lay | Caren Lay | 24,221 | 15.2 | 6.1 | 22,597 | 14.2 | 5.7 |
| | SPD | Uta Strewe | Uta Strewe | 15,836 | 10.0 | 1.4 | 14,378 | 9.1 | 3.1 |
| | FDP | Torsten Herbst | Torsten Herbst | 9,247 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 12,122 | 7.6 | 4.5 |
| | FW | Günter Hutschalik | Günter Hutschalik | 3,562 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 2,569 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| | Greens | Jens Bitzka | Jens Bitzka | 3,247 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 3,768 | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| | The Homeland | | | | | | 2,371 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 2,171 | 1.4 | |
| | PARTEI | | | | | | 1,356 | 0.9 | |
| | Independent | Andreas Lutz Richter | Andreas Lutz Richter | 779 | 0.5 | | | | |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 602 | 0.4 | 1.7 |
| | BGE | | | | | | 559 | 0.4 | |
| | ÖDP | | | | | | 435 | 0.3 | |
| | DiB | | | | | | 312 | 0.2 | |
| | BüSo | Christoph Tobias Mzingisi Faku | Christoph Tobias Mzingisi Faku | 635 | 0.4 | | 233 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| | V-Partei³ | | | | | | 195 | 0.1 | |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 138 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,443 | | | 2,477 | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 158,876 | | | 158,842 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 161,319 | 75.4 | 6.0 | | | |
| | AfD gain from CDU | AfD gain from CDU | Majority | 4,191 | 2.6 | | | | |

### 2013 election

Federal election (2013): Bautzen I :
| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CDU | Y Maria Michalk | Y Maria Michalk | 74,794 | 49.2 | 6.9 | 69,335 | 45.6 | 6.8 |
| | Left | Caren Lay | Caren Lay | 32,452 | 21.3 | 3.8 | 30,290 | 19.9 | 4.4 |
| | SPD | Ilko Keßler | Ilko Keßler | 17,268 | 11.4 | 0.3 | 18,502 | 12.2 | 0.2 |
| | AfD | | | | | | 10,811 | 7.1 | |
| | The Homeland | Holger Szymanski | Holger Szymanski | 7,270 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 6,271 | 4.1 | 0.9 |
| | FW | Ralf Zeidler | Ralf Zeidler | 4,517 | 3.0 | | 3,470 | 2.3 | |
| | FDP | Reiner Deutschmann | Reiner Deutschmann | 3,948 | 2.6 | 9.1 | 4,723 | 3.1 | 10.7 |
| | Greens | Sten Jacobson | Sten Jacobson | 3,709 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 4,249 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
| | Pirates | Marion Nawroth | Marion Nawroth | 3,035 | 2.0 | | 3,109 | 2.0 | |
| | Independent | Nitzsche | Nitzsche | 2,986 | 2.0 | | | | |
| | Independent | Merz | Merz | 2,024 | 1.3 | | | | |
| | PRO | | | | | | 905 | 0.6 | |
| | BüSo | | | | | | 202 | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 146 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 3,252 | | | 3,242 | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 152,003 | | | 152,013 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 155,255 | 69.4 | 4.2 | | | |
| | CDU hold | CDU hold | Majority | 42,342 | 27.9 | 10.8 | | | |

### 2009 election

Federal election (2009): Bautzen I :
| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CDU | Maria Michalk | Maria Michalk | 64,325 | 42.3 | 5.4 | 59,103 | 38.8 | 6.5 |
| | Left | Caren Lay | Caren Lay | 38,241 | 25.1 | 1.5 | 37,144 | 24.4 | 0.1 |
| | FDP | Reiner Deutschmann | Reiner Deutschmann | 17,755 | 11.7 | 3.4 | 20,969 | 13.8 | 3.9 |
| | SPD | Ilko Keßler | Ilko Keßler | 16,870 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 18,906 | 12.4 | 8.6 |
| | The Homeland | Mario Ertel | Mario Ertel | 8,363 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 7,597 | 5.0 | 1.1 |
| | Greens | Cordula Ratajczak | Cordula Ratajczak | 6,505 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 6,431 | 4.2 | 1.0 |
| | BüSo | | | | | | 1,268 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| | REP | | | | | | 527 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 448 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,907 | | | 2,573 | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 152,059 | | | 152,393 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 154,966 | 65.2 | 11.3 | | | |
| | CDU win new seat | CDU win new seat | Majority | 26,084 | 17.2 | | | | |