Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis

Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis is located in eastern Thuringia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the districts of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Saale-Holzland-Kreis, and Saale-Orla-Kreis.

Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis was created in 2002, then known as Sonneberg – Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Orla-Kreis. It acquired its current name in the 2017 election. In the 2002 election, it was constituency 198 in the numbering system. In the 2005 election, it was number 197. In the 2009 and 2013 elections, it was number 196. In the 2017 and 2021 elections, it was number 195. From the 2025 election, it has been number 194.

Originally, the constituency comprised the districts of Sonneberg, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, and Saale-Orla-Kreis. It acquired its current borders in the 2017 election.

The constituency was first represented by Christine Lehder of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 2002 to 2005, followed by Gerhard Botz of the SPD from 2005 to 2009. Carola Stauche of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was representative from 2009 to 2017. Albert Weiler was elected in the 2017 election. The constituency was won by Michael Kaufmann of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in 2021.

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2025): Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis[https://bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2025/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-16/wahlkreis-194.html. Results for Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis]

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent win|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Michael Kaufmann

|votes = 76,207

|percentage = 44.5

|change = {{increase}} 15.2

|party votes = 73,580

|party percent = 42.9

|party change = {{increase}} 14.7

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Diana Herbstreuth

|votes = 35,224

|percentage = 20.6

|change = {{decrease}} 0.4

|party votes = 30,756

|party percent = 17.9

|party change = {{increase}} 1.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Mandy Eißing

|votes = 21,113

|percentage = 12.3

|change = {{increase}} 0.2

|party votes = 23,080

|party percent = 13.5

|party change = {{increase}} 2.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Bastian Dohna

|votes = 14,260

|percentage = 8.3

|change = {{decrease}} 10.4

|party votes = 12,905

|party percent = 7.5

|party change = {{decrease}} 13.7

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance

|candidate = Jörg Lohse

|votes = 12,413

|percentage = 7.2

|change = New

|party votes = 17,012

|party percent = 9.9

|party change = New

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Astrid Matthey

|votes = 4,340

|percentage = 2.5

|change = {{decrease}} 1.3

|party votes = 5,055

|party percent = 2.9

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Franz Gobel

|votes = 3,943

|percentage = 2.3

|change = {{decrease}} 0.8

|party votes = 2,822

|party percent = 1.6

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Manuel Matzner

|votes = 3,834

|percentage = 2.2

|change = {{decrease}} 5.3

|party votes = 4,811

|party percent = 2.8

|party change = {{decrease}} 6.6

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Volt Germany

|party votes = 773

|party percent = 0.5

|party change = {{increase}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Bündnis Deutschland

|party votes = 470

|party percent = 0.3

|party change = New

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 176

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 1,267

|party votes = 1,161

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 171,334

|party votes = 171,440

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 172,601

|percentage = 81.6

|change = {{increase}} 5.7

}}

{{MMP election box majority hold|

|winner = Alternative for Germany

|loser =

|votes = 40,983

|percent = 23.9

|change = {{increase}} 15.6

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2021): Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2021/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-16/wahlkreis-195.html Results for Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Michael Kaufmann

|votes = 48,177

|percentage = 29.3

|change = {{increase}} 2.8

|party votes = 46,381

|party percent = 28.2

|party change = {{increase}} 2.4

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent lose|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Albert Weiler

|votes = 34,489

|percentage = 21.0

|change = {{decrease}} 10.0

|party votes = 27,008

|party percent = 16.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 11.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Cordelius Ilgmann

|votes = 30,791

|percentage = 18.7

|change = {{increase}} 7.1

|party votes = 35,019

|party percent = 21.3

|party change = {{increase}} 9.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Frank Tempel

|votes = 19,968

|percentage = 12.1

|change = {{decrease}} 5.0

|party votes = 18,489

|party percent = 11.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 5.3

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Reginald Hanke

|votes = 12,343

|percentage = 7.5

|change = {{increase}} 1.4

|party votes = 15,428

|party percent = 9.4

|party change = {{increase}} 1.6

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Susanne Martin

|votes = 6,292

|percentage = 3.8

|change = {{increase}} 0.4

|party votes = 7,383

|party percent = 4.5

|party change = {{increase}} 1.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Torsten Heilmann

|votes = 5,143

|percentage = 3.1

|change = {{decrease}} 0.3

|party votes = 4,079

|party percent = 2.5

|party change = {{increase}} 0.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Die PARTEI

|candidate = Gerry Fiedler

|votes = 3,526

|percentage = 2.1

|change =

|party votes = 2,283

|party percent = 1.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Saskia Graupe

|votes = 2,852

|percentage = 1.7

|change =

|party votes = 2,668

|party percent = 1.6

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Human Environment Animal Protection

|party votes = 2,510

|party percent = 1.5

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 645

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|party votes = 547

|party percent = 0.3

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.9

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = Menschliche Welt

|color = #EE6600

|party votes = 493

|party percent = 0.3

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Volt Germany

|party votes = 388

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Team Todenhöfer

|party votes = 374

|party percent = 0.2

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|candidate = Janine Walter-Rupprecht

|votes = 462

|percentage = 0.3

|change =

|party votes = 338

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{increase}} 0.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|candidate = Michael Gehrmann-Gacasa

|votes = 451

|percentage = 0.3

|change =

|party votes = 293

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Party of Humanists

|party votes = 152

|party percent = 0.1

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = V-Partei3

|party votes = 145

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 2,037

|party votes = 1,908

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 164,494

|party votes = 164,623

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 166,531

|percentage = 75.9

|change = {{increase}} 0.8

}}

{{MMP election box majority gain|

|winner = Alternative for Germany

|loser = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 13,688

|percent = 8.3

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2017): Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2017/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-16/wahlkreis-195.html Results for Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Holzland-Kreis – Saale-Orla-Kreis]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Albert Weiler

|votes = 52,311

|percentage = 30.9

|change = {{decrease}} 10.3

|party votes = 47,769

|party percent = 28.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 10.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|candidate = Michael Kaufmann

|votes = 44,894

|percentage = 26.5

|change = {{increase}} 24.7

|party votes = 43,740

|party percent = 25.8

|party change = {{increase}} 18.6

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Ralf Kalich

|votes = 28,926

|percentage = 17.1

|change = {{decrease}} 8.4

|party votes = 28,088

|party percent = 16.5

|party change = {{decrease}} 7.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Alexander Meinhardt-Heib

|votes = 19,753

|percentage = 11.7

|change = {{decrease}} 7.1

|party votes = 20,427

|party percent = 12.0

|party change = {{decrease}} 3.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate list|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Reginald Hanke{{efn|Hanke entered the Bundestag on the FDP list after the resignation of Thomas Kemmerich in November 2019.}}

|votes = 10,323

|percentage = 6.1

|change = {{increase}} 3.9

|party votes = 13,209

|party percent = 7.8

|party change = {{increase}} 5.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Stephanie Erben

|votes = 5,726

|percentage = 3.4

|change = {{decrease}} 0.5

|party votes = 5,124

|party percent = 3.0

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.0

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Voters

|candidate = Jens Streubel

|votes = 5,717

|percentage = 3.4

|change = {{increase}} 3.0

|party votes = 3,300

|party percent = 1.9

|party change = {{increase}} 0.5

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Die PARTEI

|party votes = 2,494

|party percent = 1.5

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|party votes = 2,083

|party percent = 1.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 2.4

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Wilfried Meißner

|votes = 923

|percentage = 0.5

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Günter Metzler

|votes = 779

|percentage = 0.5

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 736

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.9

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|party votes = 733

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = DM

|party votes = 729

|party percent = 0.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Basic Income Alliance

|party votes = 654

|party percent = 0.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box historic party only|

|party = V-Partei³

|color = #99CC33

|party votes = 425

|party percent = 0.3

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|party votes = 240

|party percent = 0.1

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 2,527

|party votes = 2,128

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 169,352

|party votes = 169,751

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 171,879

|percentage = 75.0

|change = {{increase}} 5.9

}}

{{MMP election box majority hold|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 7,417

|percent = 4.4

|change = {{decrease}} 10.3

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2013): Sonneberg – Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Orla-Kreis[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2013/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-16/wahlkreis-196.html Results for Sonneberg – Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Orla-Kreis]

}}

{{MMP election box incumbent win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Carola Stauche

|votes = 59,153

|percentage = 41.1

|change = {{increase}} 9.3

|party votes = 54,859

|party percent = 37.9

|party change = {{increase}} 7.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Knut Korschewsky

|votes = 37,908

|percentage = 26.4

|change = {{decrease}} 4.9

|party votes = 35,819

|party percent = 24.8

|party change = {{decrease}} 6.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Christoph Majewski

|votes = 28,521

|percentage = 19.8

|change = {{increase}} 0.9

|party votes = 23,002

|party percent = 15.9

|party change = {{decrease}} 1.1

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Alternative for Germany

|party votes = 9,807

|party percent = 6.8

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Uwe Bäz-Dölle

|votes = 7,440

|percentage = 5.2

|change = {{increase}} 0.7

|party votes = 5,292

|party percent = 3.7

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Stephanie Erben

|votes = 5,674

|percentage = 3.9

|change = {{increase}} 0.1

|party votes = 5,442

|party percent = 3.8

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.8

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Alf-Heinz Borchardt

|votes = 3,279

|percentage = 2.3

|change = {{decrease}} 6.3

|party votes = 3,552

|party percent = 2.5

|party change = {{decrease}} 7.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 3,231

|party percent = 2.2

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Free Voters

|party votes = 2,065

|party percent = 1.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Meißner

|votes = 1,053

|percentage = 0.7

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|party votes = 895

|party percent = 0.6

|party change = {{increase}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|candidate =

|votes = 835

|percentage = 0.6

|change = {{increase}} 0.2

|party votes = 349

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = The Republicans (Germany)

|party votes = 343

|party percent = 0.2

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 3,177

|party votes = 2,384

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 143,863

|party votes = 144,656

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 147,040

|percentage = 67.3

|change = {{increase}} 2.9

}}

{{MMP election box majority hold|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|votes = 21,245

|percent = 14.7

|change = {{increase}} 14.0

}}

{{MMP election box begin

|title=Federal election (2009): Sonneberg – Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Orla-Kreis[https://web.archive.org/web/20120110125318/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de:80/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09/ergebnisse/wahlkreisergebnisse/l16/wk196/ Results for Sonneberg – Saalfeld-Rudolstadt – Saale-Orla-Kreis]

}}

{{MMP election box candidate win|

|party = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|candidate = Carola Stauche

|votes = 46,726

|percentage = 31.9

|change = {{increase}} 5.5

|party votes = 44,770

|party percent = 30.4

|party change = {{increase}} 5.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = The Left (Germany)

|candidate = Norbert Schneider

|votes = 45,820

|percentage = 31.2

|change = {{increase}} 5.3

|party votes = 45,439

|party percent = 30.9

|party change = {{increase}} 3.1

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Anette Feike

|votes = 27,824

|percentage = 19.0

|change = {{decrease}} 11.2

|party votes = 25,004

|party percent = 17.0

|party change = {{decrease}} 12.4

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Free Democratic Party (Germany)

|candidate = Volker Weber

|votes = 12,534

|percentage = 8.5

|change = {{increase}} 3.6

|party votes = 14,342

|party percent = 9.8

|party change = {{increase}} 2.3

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = National Democratic Party of Germany

|candidate = Patrick Trautsch

|votes = 6,574

|percentage = 4.5

|change = {{decrease}} 0.3

|party votes = 5,978

|party percent = 4.1

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.5

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Alliance 90/The Greens

|candidate = Filip Heinlein

|votes = 5,684

|percentage = 3.9

|change = {{increase}} 1.2

|party votes = 6,654

|party percent = 4.5

|party change = {{increase}} 0.9

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Pirate Party Germany

|party votes = 3,340

|party percent = 2.3

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box independent|

|candidate = Arthur Wolfram Krauß

|votes = 934

|percentage = 0.6

|change =

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = The Republicans (Germany)

|party votes = 615

|party percent = 0.4

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box party only|

|party = Ecological Democratic Party

|party votes = 557

|party percent = 0.4

|party change =

}}

{{MMP election box candidate lose|

|party = Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany

|candidate = Andreas Eifler

|votes = 582

|percentage = 0.4

|change = {{decrease}} 0.1

|party votes = 395

|party percent = 0.3

|party change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{MMP election box informal vote|

|votes = 2,261

|party votes = 1,845

}}

{{MMP election box total vote|

|votes = 146,678

|party votes = 147,094

}}

{{MMP election box turnout|

|turnout = 148,939

|percentage = 64.4

|change = {{decrease}} 11.1

}}

{{MMP election box majority gain|

|winner = Christian Democratic Union of Germany

|loser = Social Democratic Party of Germany

|votes = 906

|percent = 0.7

|change =

}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Electoral districts of Thuringia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saalfeld-Rudolstadt - Saale-Holzland-Kreis - Saale-Orla-Kreis}}

Category:Federal electoral districts in Thuringia

Category:2002 establishments in Germany

Category:Constituencies established in 2002

Category:Saalfeld-Rudolstadt

Category:Saale-Holzland-Kreis

Category:Saale-Orla-Kreis