1996 Schleswig-Holstein state election

The 1996 Schleswig-Holstein state election was held on 24 March 1996 to elect the members of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) government led by Minister-President Heide Simonis lost its majority. The SPD subsequently formed a coalition with The Greens, and Simonis continued in office.

1996 Schleswig-Holstein state election

← 1992 24 March 1996 2000 →

All 75 seats in the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
38 seats needed for a majority
Turnout1,502,088 (71.8%)
Increase 0.1%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Heide Simonis Ottfried Hennig
Party SPD CDU Greens
Last election 45 seats, 46.2% 32 seats, 33.8% 0 seats, 5.0%
Seats won 33 30 6
Seat change Decrease 12 Decrease 2 Increase 6
Popular vote 597,751 559,107 121,939
Percentage 39.8% 37.2% 8.1%
Swing Decrease 6.4% Increase 3.4% Increase 3.1%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party FDP DVU SSW
Last election 5 seats, 5.6% 6 seats, 6.3% 1 seat, 1.9%
Seats won 4 0 2
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 6 Increase 1
Popular vote 86,227 64,335 38,285
Percentage 5.7% 4.3% 2.5%
Swing Increase 0.1% Decrease 2.0% Increase 0.6%

Results for the single-member constituencies

Minister-President before election

Heide Simonis
SPD

Elected Minister-President

Heide Simonis
SPD

Parties

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The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein.

Name Ideology Leader(s) 1992 result
Votes (%) Seats
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands
Social democracy Heide Simonis 46.2%
45 / 89
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands
Christian democracy Ottfried Hennig 33.8%
32 / 89
DVU German People's Union
Deutsche Volksunion
German nationalism 6.3%
6 / 89
FDP Free Democratic Party
Freie Demokratische Partei
Classical liberalism 5.6%
5 / 89
SSW South Schleswig Voters' Association
Südschleswigscher Wählerverband
Danish and Frisian minority interests 1.9%
1 / 89

Election result

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Summary of the 24 March 1996 election results for the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
 
Party Votes % +/- Seats +/- Seats %
Social Democratic Party (SPD) 597,751 39.8  6.4 33  12 44.0
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 559,107 37.2  3.4 30  2 40.0
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) 121,939 8.1  3.1 6  6 8.0
Free Democratic Party (FDP) 86,227 5.7  0.1 4  1 5.3
South Schleswig Voters' Association (SSW) 38,285 2.5  0.6 2  1 2.7
German People's Union (DVU) 64,335 4.3  2.0 0  6 0
Voters' Community of Schleswig-Holstein (WSH) 28,206 1.9  1.9 0 ±0 0
Others 6,238 0.4 0 ±0 0
Total 1,502,088 100.0 75  14
Voter turnout 71.8  0.1
Popular Vote
SPD
39.79%
CDU
37.22%
B'90/GRÜNE
8.12%
FDP
5.74%
DVU
4.28%
SSW
2.55%
Other
2.29%
Landtag seats
SPD
44.00%
CDU
40.00%
B'90/GRÜNE
8.00%
FDP
5.33%
SSW
2.67%

Sources

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