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2009 Thuringian state election

{{Short description|State election in Thuringia, Germany}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2009 Thuringia state election

| country = Thuringia

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2004 Thuringia state election

| previous_year = 2004

| next_election = 2014 Thuringian state election

| next_year = 2014

| seats_for_election = All 88 seats of the Landtag of Thuringia

| election_date = 30 August 2009

| registered = 1,910,074 {{decrease}} 2.5%

| turnout = 1,054,297 (56.2%)
{{increase}} 2.4 pp

| image1 = 150x150px

| leader1 = Dieter Althaus

| party1 = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

| leaders_seat1 = Eichsfeld I

| last_election1 = 45 seats, 43.0%

| seats1 = 30

| seat_change1 = {{decrease}} 15

| popular_vote1 = 329,302

| percentage1 = 31.2%

| swing1 = {{decrease}} 11.8 pp

| image2 = 150x150px

| leader2 = Bodo Ramelow

| party2 = The Left (Germany)

| leaders_seat2 = Erfurt III (won seat)

| last_election2 = 28 seats, 26.1%{{efn|Results for PDS.}}

| seats2 = 27

| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 1

| popular_vote2 = 288,915

| percentage2 = 27.4%

| swing2 = {{increase}} 1.3 pp

| image3 = 150x150px

| leader3 = Christoph Matschie

| party3 = Social Democratic Party of Germany

| leaders_seat3 = Jena I (won seat)

| last_election3 = 15 seats, 14.5%

| seats3 = 18

| seat_change3 = {{increase}} 3

| popular_vote3 = 195,363

| percentage3 = 18.5%

| swing3 = {{increase}} 4.0 pp

| image4 = 150x150px

| leader4 = Uwe Barth

| party4 = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

| leaders_seat4 = List{{efn|Ran in Jena I (lost).}}

| last_election4 = 0 seats, 3.6%

| seats4 = 7

| seat_change4 = {{increase}} 7

| popular_vote4 = 80,600

| percentage4 = 7.6%

| swing4 = {{increase}} 4.0 pp

| image5 = 150x150px

| leader5 = Astrid Rothe-Beinlich

| party5 = Alliance 90/The Greens

| leaders_seat5 = List{{efn|Ran in Erfurt II (lost).}}

| last_election5 = 0 seats, 4.5%

| seats5 = 6

| seat_change5 = {{increase}} 6

| popular_vote5 = 64,912

| percentage5 = 6.2%

| swing5 = {{increase}} 1.7 pp

| map_image = 2009 Thuringian state election.svg

| map_size = 350px

| map_caption = Results for the single-member constituencies

| title = Minister-President

| before_election = Dieter Althaus

| before_party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

| after_election = Christine Lieberknecht

| after_party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

}}

The 2009 Thuringian state election was held on 30 August 2009 to elect the members of the 5th Landtag of Thuringia. It was held on the same day as the 2009 Saarland state election and the 2009 Saxony state election. The incumbent Christian Democratic Union (CDU) government led by Minister-President Dieter Althaus was defeated. The CDU subsequently formed a grand coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Althaus resigned after the election due to his party's poor performance, which was far below expectations. He was succeeded by fellow CDU member Christine Lieberknecht, who was elected as the new Minister-President.[http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20091019-22675.html CDU and SPD form Thuringia state coalition], The Local; 19 October 2009.

Parties

The table below lists parties represented in the 4th Landtag of Thuringia.

class="wikitable"

! rowspan=2 colspan=3| Name

! rowspan=2| Ideology

! rowspan=2| Leader(s)

! colspan=2| 2004 result

Votes (%)

! Seats

bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}} |

| align=center| CDU

| Christian Democratic Union of Germany
{{small|Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands}}

| Christian democracy

| Dieter Althaus

| align=center| 43.0%

| {{Composition bar|45|88|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}}}

bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}} |

| align=center| Linke

| The Left
{{small|Die Linke}}

| Democratic socialism

| Bodo Ramelow

| align=center| 26.1%{{efn|Results for PDS.}}

| {{Composition bar|28|88|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}}

bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}} |

| align=center| SPD

| Social Democratic Party of Germany
{{small|Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands}}

| Social democracy

| Christoph Matschie

| align=center| 14.5%

| {{Composition bar|15|88|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}

Opinion polling

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
style="height:40px;"

! style="width:160px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm

! style="width:120px;" rowspan="2"| Fieldwork date

! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| Sample
size

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| CDU

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| Linke

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| SPD

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| Grüne

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| FDP

! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others

! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Lead

style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};"|

! style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};"|

! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};"|

! style="background:{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}};"|

! style="background:{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}};"|

style="background:#E9E9E9;"

| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/news/2009/landtagswahl-thueringen-2009.htm 2009 state election]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-30"| 30 Aug 2009

| –

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 31.2

| 27.4

| 18.5

| 6.2

| 7.6

| 9.1

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3.8

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm TU Ilumenau]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-25"| 10–22 Aug 2009

| 369

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 41

| 23

| 15

| 10

| 8

| 3

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 18

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-21"| 17–20 Aug 2009

| ~1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 35

| 25

| 18

| 5

| 10

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-20"| 18–20 Aug 2009

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 34

| 24

| 19

| 6

| 8

| 9

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-22"| 10–13 Aug 2009

| 805

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 37

| 23

| 20

| 5

| 9

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2009-08-12"| 7–11 Aug 2009

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 34

| 24

| 20

| 6

| 9

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Forsa]

| data-sort-value="2009-07-29"| 13–24 Jul 2009

| 1,004

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 40

| 24

| 16

| 6

| 6

| 8

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 16

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2009-06-25"| 19–23 Jun 2009

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 24

| 18

| 6

| 9

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 12

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2009-05-25"| 11–13 May 2009

| 801

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 23

| 23

| 5

| 8

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 13

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Forsa]

| data-sort-value="2009-05-19"| 4–15 May 2009

| 1,005

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 40

| 26

| 18

| 4

| 6

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2009-05-15"| 8–12 May 2009

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 39

| 25

| 20

| 5

| 6

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2009-03-25"| 18–22 Mar 2009

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 25

| 20

| 5

| 8

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 11

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm GESS]

| data-sort-value="2009-03-10"| 4–7 Mar 2009

| 1,004

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 39

| 25

| 18

| 4

| 8

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Forsa]

| data-sort-value="2009-01-22"| 12–16 Jan 2009

| 751

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 39

| 28

| 16

| 5

| 5

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 11

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2008-11-05"| 21–23 Oct 2008

| 805

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 33

| 30

| 18

| 5

| 6

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Forsa]

| data-sort-value="2008-09-10"| 25 Aug–9 Sep 2008

| 863

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 37

| 32

| 15

| 4

| 5

| 7

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm dimap]

| data-sort-value="2008-07-30"| 26 Jun–10 Jul 2008

| 1,001

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 31

| {{Party shading/Linke}}| 31

| 20

| 5

| 6

| 7

| data-sort-value="0"| Tie

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2008-05-08"| 5–7 May 2008

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 33

| 29

| 23

| 5

| 5

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 4

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2008-04-15"| 8–10 Apr 2008

| 804

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 33

| 29

| 21

| 6

| 5

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 4

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Emnid]

| data-sort-value="2008-03-02"| 13–27 Feb 2008

| ~500

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 25

| 24

| 4

| 5

| ?

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 11

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2007-12-17"| 10–12 Dec 2007

| 803

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 35

| 25

| 25

| 5

| 4

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Infratest dimap]

| data-sort-value="2008-02-28"| Oct 2007

| 1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 35

| 26

| 23

| 5

| 5

| ?

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2007-08-29"| 21–22 Aug 2007

| 801

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 29

| 25

| 3

| 3

| 4

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm dimap]

| data-sort-value="2007-07-17"| 9–13 Jul 2007

| 1,003

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 40

| 25

| 24

| 4

| 4

| 3

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 15

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2007-05-24"| 12–15 May 2007

| 801

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 34

| 25

| 26

| 5

| 5

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 8

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Emnid]

| data-sort-value="2007-05-20"| 30 Apr–16 May 2007

| 516

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 32

| 27

| 22

| 6

| 6

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2007-02-23"| 23 Feb 2007

| ?

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 30

| 26

| 28

| 6

| 5

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 2

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2006-12-15"| 15 Dec 2006

| 802

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 34

| 25

| 27

| 5

| 4

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2006-08-28"| 16–17 Aug 2006

| 810

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 33

| 26

| 30

| 4

| 3

| 4

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2006-03-07"| 7–8 Feb 2006

| 802

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 34

| 24

| 29

| 3

| 4

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2006-01-03"| 12–15 Dec 2005

| 806

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 36

| 26

| 27

| 3

| 5

| 3

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm Uni Jena]

| data-sort-value="2005-07-19"| Jul 2005

| ~1,000

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 40

| 31

| 15

| 4

| 5

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2005-06-06"| 28–30 May 2005

| 803

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 45

| 21

| 20

| 4

| 5

| 5

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 24

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2005-01-24"| 24 Jan 2005

| 806

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 39

| 22

| 23

| 4

| 4

| 8

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 16

[http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm IfM Leipzig]

| data-sort-value="2004-09-30"| Sep 2004

| ?

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 41

| 25

| 18

| 6

| 4

| 6

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 16

style="background:#E9E9E9;"

| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/thueringen.htm 2004 state election]

| data-sort-value="2009-06-13"| 13 Jun 2004

| –

| {{Party shading/CDU}}| 43.0

| 26.1

| 14.5

| 4.5

| 3.6

| 8.3

| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 16.9

Election result

{{Election results|image=File:2009 Thuringian Landtag.svg|party1=Christian Democratic Union (CDU)|caption=Summary of the 30 August 2009 election results for the Landtag of Thuringia|party2=The Left (Linke)|party3=Social Democratic Party (SPD)|party4=Free Democratic Party (FDP)|party5=Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)|votes1=329302|party6=National Democratic Party (NPD)|party7=Free Voters (FW)|party8=Others|seats1=30|seats2=28|seats3=18|seats4=7|seats5=6|seats6=0|seats7=0|seats8=0|seats9=0|votes2=288915|votes3=195363|votes4=80600|votes5=64912|votes6=45451|votes7=40811|votes8=8943|sw1={{decrease}} 11.8|sw2={{increase}} 1.3 {{ref|notea|[A]}}|sw3={{increase}} 4.0|sc2={{decrease}} 1{{ref|notea|[A]}}|sc1={{decrease}} 15|sc3={{increase}} 3|sc4={{increase}} 7|sc5={{increase}} 6|sw4={{increase}} 4.0|sw5={{increase}} 1.7|sw6={{increase}} 2.7|sw7={{increase}} 1.3|sc6={{steady}}|sc7={{steady}}|sc8={{steady}}}}{{bar box

| title=Popular Vote

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union (Germany)}}|31.23}}

{{bar percent|DIE LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|27.40}}

{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|18.53}}

{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|7.64}}

{{bar percent|B'90/GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance '90/The Greens}}|6.16}}

{{bar percent|NPD|{{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}|4.31}}

{{bar percent|FW|{{party color|Free Voters}}|3.87}}

{{bar percent|Other|#777777|0.86}}

}}

{{bar box

| title=Landtag seats

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union (Germany)}}|34.09}}

{{bar percent|DIE LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|30.68}}

{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|20.45}}

{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|7.95}}

{{bar percent|B'90/GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance '90/The Greens}}|6.82}}

}}

Outcome

Minister-President and CDU leader Dieter Althaus resigned in the wake of the election, stating he took responsibility for his party's losses.{{cite web |title=Merkel Loyalist Resigns (Published 2009) |website=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828044817/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/world/europe/04iht-germany.html?_r=1 |archive-date=2022-08-28 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/world/europe/04iht-germany.html?_r=1}} However, observers noted that his resignation also helped clear the way for a grand coalition between the CDU and SPD, which was preferred by both parties, and would be easier to manage under new leadership. The only viable alternative to a grand coalition was a government led by The Left with SPD and Green support, which both the CDU and SPD sought to avoid; the CDU because such a coalition would leave them in opposition, and the SPD because of personal animosity between its leader Christoph Matschie and Left leader Bodo Ramelow. Ultimately, a grand coalition of the CDU and SPD was formed under the leadership of the CDU's Christine Lieberknecht, who was elected Minister-President.

Notes

:A.{{note|notea||Compared to results for PDS}}

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{Thuringia state elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thuringia State Election, 2009}}

2009

Category:2009 elections in Germany

Category:August 2009 in Germany