2022 Rhinean legislative election

Legislative elections were held in Rhinea on 30 June 2022 to elect the 550 members of the Landtag. The elections followed the 2022 Rhinean presidential election, held two weeks earlier. The Christian Union (CU), the party of newly elected President Friedrich Merz, emerged victorious, securing 236 seats and defeating Social Democratic Party (SDP) which won 173 seats. The CU subsequently formed a coalition government with the Centre Party, the third-largest party in the Landtag, which secured 60 seats.
== Background ==
The legislative election is held every five years, with the last election taking place in 2017. Rhinea uses a mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) electoral system. Voters cast two votes: one for a candidate in their local constituency and one for a party list. Half of the Landtag seats are filled by candidates elected from single-member constituencies, while the remaining seats are allocated proportionally to the parties based on the party list votes.
The previous Landtag election, held in 2017, saw the CU win a majority of seats, defeating the SDP. However, the subsequent government led by President Armin Laschet and Prime Minister Peter Ramsauer proved unpopular. This unpopularity led to both Laschet and Ramsauer deciding not to stand in the 2022 elections.
== Campaign ==
The campaign was dominated by the CU, which sought to capitalize on the momentum from Merz's presidential victory. They campaigned on a platform of economic growth, fiscal responsibility, and a return to traditional values. The SDP, led by Saskia Esken, focused on social justice, environmental protection, and addressing the anxieties of the working class.
Other parties vying for seats included the Greens, led by Robert Habeck; the Centre Party; Patriotic Front, and the newly formed Forward Party. The Greens hoped to build on the success of Annalena Baerbock, their candidate in the presidential election. The Centre Party traditionally a coalition partner of the CU, sought to maintain its influence in the Landtag. The Patriotic Front continued to gain traction among dissatisfied voters. Forward sought to attract voters dissatisfied with the established parties in the centre of the political spectrum.
==Results==
The Christian Union (CU) emerged victorious in the election, securing 236 seats, exceeding their 2017 result by two seats. This success was largely attributed to the momentum generated by the election of Friedrich Merz as president. The SDP suffered a significant loss, winning only 173 seats, failing to capitalize on the unpopularity of the previous CU government.
Summary of the election results
Party	Party 	Party-list	Party-list	Party-list	Constituency	Constituency	Constituency	Total seats	+/–
Party	Party 	Votes 	% 	Seats 	Votes 	% 	Seats 	Total seats	+/–
 	Christian Union 	15,955,205	31.17 	89 	18,087,541 	35.28 	147 	236 	2
 	Social Democratic Party	13,590,724	26.51 	76 	15,005,095 	29.27 	97 	173 	3
 	Centre Party 	9,049,115 	17.65 	50 	5,943,704 	11.59 	10 	60 	32
 	Patriotic Front 	5,904,005 	11.52 	33 	6,509,204 	12.70 	11 	44 	24
 	Forward 	2,690,976 	5.25 	15 	2,942,042 	5.74 	10 	25 	25
 	The Greens 	2,186,333 	4.26 	12 	1,968,117 	3.84 	0 	12 	16
 	The Left 	859,296 	1.67 	0 	492,043 	0.96 	0 	0 	±0
 	Free Voters 	568,204 	1.11 	0 	210,522 	0.41 	0 	0 	±0
 	Pirate Party 	195,185 	0.38 	0 	53,590 	0.10 	0 	0 	±0
 	Alliance 	98,204 	0.19 	0 	13,950 	0.03 	0 	0 	±0
 	Party for Progress 	67,633 	0.13 	0 	5,104 	0.01 	0 	0 	New
 	Volt Rhinea 	55,394 	0.11 	0 	12,637 	0.02 	0 	0 	New
 	Animal & Environment 	14,953 	0.03 	0 	 	 	 	0 	±0
 	National Union 	12,967 	0.03 	0 	 	 	 	0 	±0
 	Citizens' Movement 	8,194 	0.02 	0 	1,311 	0.01 	0 	0 	New
 	The Humanists 	7,007 	0.01 	0 	213 	0.00 	0 	0 	±0
 	Independents 	 	 	 	18,309 	0.04 	0 	0 	±0
== Opinion polls ==
== Aftermath ==
Following the election, the CU formed a coalition government with the Centre Party. The new government, led by CU leader Hendrik Wüst, promised a focus on economic growth and job creation. The SDP, meanwhile, entered a period of introspection and leadership change.
The election also marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Rhinea political scene, with Forward securing a presence in the Landtag for the first time, and the Greens struggling to maintain their position. The poor performance of the SDP led to the resignation of leader Saskia Esken, while the Greens also saw the departure of their leader, Robert Habeck.
Category:Rhinea
Category:Elections