Gießen (electoral district)

Gießen is located in central Hesse. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the Gießen district excluding the municipalities of Biebertal and Wettenberg, as well as the municipalities of Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, and Romrod from the Vogelsbergkreis district.

Gießen was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Hesse constituency 8 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1976 elections, it was number 133. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 131. In 2002 and 2005, it was number 175. In the 2009 election, it was number 174. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 173. From the 2025 election, it has been number 172.

Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Gießen and the districts of Landkreis Gießen and Alsfeld. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it comprised the entirety of Gießen district as well as the municipalities of Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Grebenau, Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, Romrod, Schwalmtal from the Vogelbergskreis district. In the 2002 election, it acquired borders very similar to its current configuration, but including the municipalities of Grebenau, Schotten, and Schwalmtal from Vogelsbergkreis district. It acquired its current borders in the 2013 election.

The constituency was first represented by Ludwig Schneider of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) from 1949 to 1957. {{ill|Hans Merten (politician)|lt=Hans Merten|de|Hans Merten}} of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1957 and served until 1969. He was succeeded by fellow SPD member Erwin Horn. {{ill|Adolf Roth|lt=Adolf Roth|de|Adolf Roth}} of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was elected in 1983, but former member Horn regained the constituency in 1987 and served a further three terms. He was succeeded by fellow SPD member Rüdiger Veit in 1998, who served until 2009. Helge Braun of the CDU was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Felix Döring regained the constituency for the SPD in 2021.

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2025): Gießen[https://bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2025/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-6/wahlkreis-172.html. Results for Gießen]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Frederik Bouffier

|votes = 53,851

|percentage = 30.4

|change = {{increase}} 0.8

|party votes = 47,077

|party percent = 26.6

|party change = {{increase}} 3.9

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent list|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Felix Döring

|votes = 49,203

|percentage = 27.8

|change = {{decrease}} 2.6

|party votes = 33,232

|party percent = 18.7

|party change = {{decrease}} 8.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Robin Jünger

|votes = 33,549

|percentage = 19.0

|change = {{increase}} 9.9

|party votes = 33,917

|party percent = 19.1

|party change = {{increase}} 9.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Michel Zörb

|votes = 15,277

|percentage = 8.6

|change = {{decrease}} 4.7

|party votes = 21,925

|party percent = 12.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 4.0

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Desiree Becker

|votes = 12,442

|percentage = 7.0

|change = {{increase}} 3.1

|party votes = 17,359

|party percent = 9.8

|party change = {{increase}} 4.8

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance

|party votes = 7,889

|party percent = 4.5

|party change = New

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Björn Feuerbach

|votes = 5,121

|percentage = 2.9

|change = {{steady}} 0.0

|party votes = 3,043

|party percent = 1.7

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.6

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Dennis Pucher

|votes = 4,906

|percentage = 2.8

|change = {{decrease}} 4.8

|party votes = 7,410

|party percent = 4.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 6.5

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Human Environment Animal Protection Party

|party votes = 2,199

|party percent = 1.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Volt Germany

|candidate = Monika Pranjic

|votes = 2,593

|percentage = 1.5

|change = New

|party votes = 1,547

|party percent = 0.9

|party change = {{increase}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Die PARTEI

|party votes = 1,079

|party percent = 0.6

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.5

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Bündnis Deutschland

|party votes = 284

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = New

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Party of Humanists

|party votes = 210

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 75

|party percent = <0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 1,749

|party votes = 1,445

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 176,942

|party votes = 177,246

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 178,691

|percentage = 83.1

|change = {{increase}} 8.6

}}

{{MMP election box majority gain|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|loser = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|votes = 4,648

|percent = 2.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2021): Gießen[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2021/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-6/wahlkreis-173.html Results for Gießen]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Felix Döring

|votes = 48,514

|percentage = 30.4

|change = {{increase}} 2.2

|party votes = 44,046

|party percent = 27.6

|party change = {{increase}} 3.7

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent lose list|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Helge Braun

|votes = 47,283

|percentage = 29.6

|change = {{decrease}} 5.5

|party votes = 36,201

|party percent = 22.7

|party change = {{decrease}} 7.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Behzad Borhani

|votes = 21,249

|percentage = 13.3

|change = {{increase}} 5.0

|party votes = 26,109

|party percent = 16.3

|party change = {{increase}} 6.7

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Uwe Schulz

|votes = 14,496

|percentage = 9.1

|change = {{decrease}} 2.5

|party votes = 14,836

|party percent = 9.3

|party change = {{decrease}} 3.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Dennis Pucher

|votes = 12,109

|percentage = 7.6

|change = {{decrease}} 0.1

|party votes = 17,106

|party percent = 10.7

|party change = {{increase}} 0.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Ali Al-Dailami

|votes = 6,339

|percentage = 4.0

|change = {{decrease}} 2.3

|party votes = 8,028

|party percent = 5.0

|party change = {{decrease}} 3.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Diego Semmler

|votes = 4,595

|percentage = 2.9

|change = {{increase}} 0.9

|party votes = 3,697

|party percent = 2.3

|party change = {{increase}} 1.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Human Environment Animal Protection

|party votes = 2,301

|party percent = 1.4

|party change = {{increase}} 0.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Die PARTEI

|candidate = Darwin Walter

|votes = 3,003

|percentage = 1.9

|change =

|party votes = 1,818

|party percent = 1.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Stephan Krüdener

|votes = 1,954

|percentage = 1.2

|change =

|party votes = 1,892

|party percent = 1.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Volt Germany

|party votes = 898

|party percent = 0.6

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Team Todenhöfer

|party votes = 632

|party percent = 0.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 555

|party percent = 0.3

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Alliance C – Christians for Germany

|party votes = 251

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|party votes = 251

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|party votes = 235

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Partei für Gesundheitsforschung

|party votes = 216

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Party of Humanists

|party votes = 211

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = V-Partei3

|party votes = 177

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = German Communist Party

|candidate = Henning Mächerle

|votes = 233

|percentage = 0.1

|change = {{steady}} 0.0

|party votes = 117

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = Bündnis 21

|color = #E71F71

|party votes = 50

|party percent = 0.0

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Liberal Conservative Reformers

|party votes = 41

|party percent = 0.0

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 34

|party percent = 0.0

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 2,144

|party votes = 2,217

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 159,775

|party votes = 159,702

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 161,919

|percentage = 74.4

|change = {{decrease}} 2.1

}}

{{MMP election box majority gain|

|winner = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|loser = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 1,231

|percent = 0.8

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2017): Gießen[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2017/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-6/wahlkreis-173.html Results for Gießen]

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Helge Braun

|votes = 57,610

|percentage = 35.1

|change = {{decrease}} 9.3

|party votes = 49,518

|party percent = 30.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 8.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Matthias Körner

|votes = 46,216

|percentage = 28.2

|change = {{decrease}} 7.3

|party votes = 39,252

|party percent = 23.9

|party change = {{decrease}} 5.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Uwe Schulz

|votes = 18,918

|percentage = 11.5

|change =

|party votes = 20,358

|party percent = 12.4

|party change = {{increase}} 7.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Eva Goldbach

|votes = 13,619

|percentage = 8.3

|change = {{increase}} 1.0

|party votes = 15,898

|party percent = 9.7

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Hermann Otto Solms

|votes = 12,641

|percentage = 7.7

|change = {{increase}} 4.7

|party votes = 16,926

|party percent = 10.3

|party change = {{increase}} 5.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Ali Abass Al-Dailami

|votes = 10,346

|percentage = 6.3

|change = {{increase}} 1.2

|party votes = 13,798

|party percent = 8.4

|party change = {{increase}} 1.9

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Diego Semmler

|votes = 3,190

|percentage = 1.9

|change =

|party votes = 2,170

|party percent = 1.3

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Die PARTEI

|party votes = 1,967

|party percent = 1.2

|party change = {{increase}} 0.7

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Human Environment Animal Protection

|party votes = 1,572

|party percent = 1.0

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Thassilo Hantusch

|votes = 603

|percentage = 0.4

|change = {{decrease}} 1.3

|party votes = 751

|party percent = 0.5

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.8

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 654

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.7

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|party votes = 384

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Peter Klis

|votes = 376

|percentage = 0.2

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Basic Income Alliance

|party votes = 271

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = V-Partei³

|color = #99CC33

|party votes = 268

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = DM

|party votes = 254

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|candidate = Wanja Lange

|votes = 405

|percentage = 0.2

|change =

|party votes = 109

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = German Communist Party

|candidate = Henning Mächerle

|votes = 234

|percentage = 0.1

|change =

|party votes = 119

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = BüSo

|party votes = 44

|party percent = 0.0

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 2,463

|party votes = 2,308

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 164,158

|party votes = 164,313

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 166,621

|percentage = 76.5

|change = {{increase}} 3.7

}}

{{MMP election box majority hold|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 11,394

|percent = 6.9

|change = {{decrease}} 2.0

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2013): Gießen[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2013/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-6/wahlkreis-173.html Results for Gießen]

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Helge Braun

|votes = 67,587

|percentage = 44.4

|change = {{increase}} 7.7

|party votes = 59,062

|party percent = 38.7

|party change = {{increase}} 7.6

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Rüdiger Veit

|votes = 54,028

|percentage = 35.5

|change = {{increase}} 1.2

|party votes = 45,299

|party percent = 29.7

|party change = {{increase}} 2.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Tom Koenigs

|votes = 11,186

|percentage = 7.3

|change = {{decrease}} 1.5

|party votes = 14,759

|party percent = 9.7

|party change = {{decrease}} 2.1

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|party votes = 7,444

|party percent = 4.9

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Ali Abass Al-Dailami

|votes = 7,802

|percentage = 5.1

|change = {{decrease}} 1.8

|party votes = 9,928

|party percent = 6.5

|party change = {{decrease}} 2.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Hermann Otto Solms

|votes = 4,543

|percentage = 3.0

|change = {{decrease}} 8.0

|party votes = 7,553

|party percent = 4.9

|party change = {{decrease}} 10.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|candidate = Sascha Endlicher

|votes = 3,949

|percentage = 2.6

|change =

|party votes = 3,268

|party percent = 2.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Free Voters

|party votes = 1,982

|party percent = 1.3

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Volker Sachs

|votes = 2,483

|percentage = 1.6

|change = {{increase}} 0.2

|party votes = 1,977

|party percent = 1.3

|party change = {{increase}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Die PARTEI

|party votes = 759

|party percent = 0.5

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Peter Klis

|votes = 724

|percentage = 0.5

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = The Republicans (Germany)

|party votes = 273

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = PRO

|party votes = 183

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = BüSo

|party votes = 93

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Socialist Equality Party (Germany)

|party votes = 84

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 59

|party percent = 0.0

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 4,350

|party votes = 3,929

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 152,302

|party votes = 152,723

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 156,652

|percentage = 72.8

|change = {{increase}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box majority hold|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 13,559

|percent = 8.9

|change = {{increase}} 6.4

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2009): Gießen[https://web.archive.org/web/20110617081624/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09/ergebnisse/wahlkreisergebnisse/l06/wk174/ Results for Gießen]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Helge Braun

|votes = 59,441

|percentage = 36.7

|change = {{decrease}} 1.1

|party votes = 50,276

|party percent = 31.0

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.0

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent lose list|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Rüdiger Veit

|votes = 55,331

|percentage = 34.2

|change = {{decrease}} 9.1

|party votes = 44,222

|party percent = 27.3

|party change = {{decrease}} 9.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Hermann Otto Solms

|votes = 17,928

|percentage = 11.1

|change = {{increase}} 3.9

|party votes = 25,687

|party percent = 15.8

|party change = {{increase}} 3.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Tom Koenigs

|votes = 14,140

|percentage = 8.7

|change = {{increase}} 3.5

|party votes = 18,853

|party percent = 11.6

|party change = {{increase}} 1.6

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Jonas Ahlgrimm

|votes = 11,399

|percentage = 7.0

|change = {{increase}} 2.3

|party votes = 14,605

|party percent = 9.0

|party change = {{increase}} 3.2

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 3,962

|party percent = 2.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Volker Sachs

|votes = 2,328

|percentage = 1.4

|change = {{decrease}} 0.2

|party votes = 1,853

|party percent = 1.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Human Environment Animal Protection

|party votes = 1,528

|party percent = 0.9

|party change = {{increase}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Peter Klis

|votes = 1,253

|percentage = 0.8

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = The Republicans (Germany)

|party votes = 701

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.4

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = BüSo

|party votes = 193

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = German People's Union

|party votes = 158

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 46

|party percent = 0.0

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 3,848

|party votes = 3,584

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 161,820

|party votes = 162,084

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 165,668

|percentage = 72.5

|change = {{decrease}} 4.8

}}

{{MMP election box majority gain|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|loser = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|votes = 4,110

|percent = 2.5

|change =

}}

{{reflist}}

{{Electoral districts of Hesse}}

{{coord missing|Hesse}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gießen (electoral district)}}

Category:Federal electoral districts in Hesse

Category:1949 establishments in West Germany

Category:Constituencies established in 1949

Category:Giessen (district)

Category:Vogelsbergkreis