2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election

State election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany August 2018 August 2018 2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election Saxony-Anhalt parliamentary no 1998 Saxony-Anhalt state election 1998 2006 Saxony-Anhalt state election 2006 All 115 seats in the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt 58 21 April 2002 1,160,985 (56.5%) 15.0% 150x150px Wolfgang Böhmer Christian Democratic Union of Germany 28 seats, 22.0% 48 20 433,521 37.3% 15.3% 150x150px Petra Sitte Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany) 25 seats, 19.6% 25 0 236,484 20.4% 0.8% 150x150px Reinhard Höppner Social Democratic Party of Germany 47 seats, 35.9% 25 22 231,732 20.0% 15.9% Free Democratic Party (Germany) 0 seats, 4.2% 17 17 154,145 13.3% 9.1% 2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election.svg 300px Results for the single-member constituencies Minister-President Reinhard Höppner Social Democratic Party of Germany Wolfgang Böhmer Christian Democratic Union of Germany The 2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election was held on 21 April 2002 to elect the members of the 4th Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) minority government led by Minister-President Reinhard Höppner was defeated. The SPD fell to third place, while the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) moved into first. The CDU subsequently formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and CDU leader Wolfgang Böhmer was elected Minister-President. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was the largest party in every election from the 2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election until the 2026 Saxony-Anhalt state election when the Alternative for Germany (AfD) overtook them. Background After both the 1994 and 1998 state elections, the SPD formed a minority government with the external support of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS). This marked the first time the PDS had been involved in determining government in a German state, and was a unique arrangement, dubbed the "Magdeburg model" after the capital of Saxony-Anhalt. In Germany, governments are typically coalition governments, in which the parties which support the government take part in cabinet and hold a majority of seats between them. However, the SPD/PDS arrangement functioned on a model of "tolerance", in which the PDS remained outside cabinet and abstained from the vote for Minister-President, rather than voting in favour, allowing the SPD to form a minority government. In 1994, this allowed the investment of an SPD–Green minority government; in 1998, after the Greens lost their Landtag representation, the SPD governed alone. Campaign and issues At the time, Saxony-Anhalt was the "poorest" state of Germany, and that with the highest unemployment rate. The state election campaign was also influenced by the upcoming federal election. The German People's Union, which won 12.9% of the vote and 12 seats in 1998, did not run in the election. This came after internal strife and the secession of the Freedom and Democracy People's Party (FDVP), which did run in the election. Parties The table below lists parties represented in the 3rd Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt. Name Ideology Leader(s) 1998 result Votes (%) Seats SPD Social Democratic Party of GermanySozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands Social democracy Reinhard Höppner 35.9% 47 116 Social Democratic Party of Germany CDU Christian Democratic Union of GermanyChristlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands Christian democracy Wolfgang Böhmer 22.0% 28 116 Christian Democratic Union of Germany PDS Party of Democratic SocialismPartei des Demokratischen Sozialismus Democratic socialism 19.6% 25 116 The Left (Germany) DVU German People's UnionDeutsche Volksunion German nationalism 12.9% 16 116 German People's Union Opinion polling Polling firm Fieldwork date Samplesize SPD CDU PDS DVU FDP Grüne Schill Others Lead 2002 state election 21 Apr 2002 – 20.0 37.3 20.4 – 13.3 2.0 4.5 2.6 16.9 Forsa 19 Apr 2002 ? 24 34 22 – 10 2 6 2 10 Infratest dimap 5–9 Apr 2002 1,000 25 32 23 – 9 2 5 4 7 Emnid 28 Mar 2002 ? 24 33 26 – 8 2 5 2 9 Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 15 Mar 2002 ? 28 36 19 – 7 3 4 3 8 Infratest dimap 21–26 Feb 2002 1,000 30 35 20 – 7 2 4 2 5 IfM Leipzig 25 Feb 2002 ? 31 39 19 – 6 2 2 1 8 Forsa 24 Jan 2002 ? 25 37 25 – 7 2 2 2 12 Uni Halle 17 Jan 2002 ? 29.3 40.6 19.3 – 6.7 2.1 1.8 0.2 11.3 Infratest dimap 11–16 Dec 2001 1,000 31 35 20 2 5 2 3 2 4 Uni Halle 28 Aug 2001 ? 37.4 33.0 18.3 – 7.5 3.0 – 0.8 4.4 1998 state election 26 Apr 1998 – 35.9 22.0 19.6 12.9 4.2 3.2 – 2.2 13.9 Election result Summary of the 21 April 2002 election results for the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt |- | colspan=8 | center|350px |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- ! Seats % |- | bgcolor=Christian Democratic Union of Germany| | align=left | Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | align=right| 433,521 | align=right| 37.3 | align=right| 15.3 | align=right| 48 | align=right| 20 | align=right| 41.7 |- | bgcolor=The Left (Germany)| | align=left | Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) | align=right| 236,484 | align=right| 20.4 | align=right| 0.8 | align=right| 25 | align=right| 0 | align=right| 21.7 |- | bgcolor=Social Democratic Party of Germany| | align=left | Social Democratic Party (SPD) | align=right| 231,732 | align=right| 20.0 | align=right| 15.9 | align=right| 25 | align=right| 22 | align=right| 21.7 |- | bgcolor=Free Democratic Party (Germany)| | align=left | Free Democratic Party (FDP) | align=right| 154,145 | align=right| 13.3 | align=right| 9.1 | align=right| 17 | align=right| 17 | align=right| 14.8 |- ! colspan=8| |- | bgcolor=#63B8FF| | align=left | Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Schill party) | align=right| 52,589 | align=right| 4.5 | align=right| New | align=right| 0 | align=right| New | align=right| 0 |- | bgcolor=Alliance 90/The Greens| | align=left | Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | align=right| 22,696 | align=right| 2.0 | align=right| 1.2 | align=right| 0 | align=right| ±0 | align=right| 0 |- | bgcolor=Other| | align=left | Others | align=right| 29,818 | align=right| 2.6 | align=right| | align=right| 0 | align=right| ±0 | align=right| 0 |- ! align=right colspan=2| Total ! align=right| 1,160,985 ! align=right| 100.0 ! align=right| ! align=right| 115 ! align=right| 1 ! align=right| |- ! align=right colspan=2| Voter turnout ! align=right| ! align=right| 56.5 ! align=right| 15.0 ! align=right| ! align=right| ! align=right| |} Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 37.34 PDS The Left (Germany) 20.37 SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 19.96 FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) 13.28 SCHILL #63B8FF 4.53 GRÜNE Alliance 90/The Greens 1.95 Other #777777 2.57 Landtag seats #ddd 600px 410px CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 41.74 PDS The Left (Germany) 21.74 SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 21.74 FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) 14.78 Outcome The SPD suffered a major defeat, falling to third place behind both the CDU and PDS. The CDU became the largest party with 37% of the vote. The FDP achieved an unexpected victory with 13% of the vote. The Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Schill party) failed to win seats, despite polling suggesting they would narrowly enter the Landtag. While polls before the election indicated the SPD and PDS would likely retain a slim majority, the success of the FDP at the SPD's expense meant that the CDU and FDP held a comfortable majority between them. Thus, the PDS-backed SPD government no longer had the numbers to retain power. The CDU and FDP negotiated a coalition, with CDU leader Wolfgang Böhmer heading the new government. The election, which took place five months before the 2002 federal election, was a major defeat for the federal SPD–Green government, and weakened its standing in the Bundesrat. Sources The Federal Returning Officer https://web.archive.org/web/20041206235227/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/e/index_e.htm 2004-12-06 2002 Saxony-Anhalt state election Saxony-Anhalt state election Category:21st century in Saxony-Anhalt