2003 Lower Saxony state election

State election in Lower Saxony, Germany 2003 Lower Saxony state election Lower Saxony parliamentary no 1998 Lower Saxony state election 1998 2008 Lower Saxony state election 2008 All 183 seats in the Landtag of Lower Saxony 92 2 February 2003 3,984,009 (67.0%) 6.8% 125px Christian Wulff Christian Democratic Union of Germany 62 seats, 35.9% 91 29 1,925,055 48.3% 12.4% 125px Sigmar Gabriel Social Democratic Party of Germany 83 seats, 47.9% 63 20 1,330,156 33.4% 14.5% Free Democratic Party (Germany) 0 seats, 4.9% 15 15 323,107 8.1% 3.2% Alliance 90/The Greens 12 seats, 7.0% 14 2 304,532 7.6% 0.6% 2003 Lower Saxony state election.svg 350px Results for the single-member constituencies Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel Social Democratic Party of Germany Christian Wulff Christian Democratic Union of Germany The 2003 Lower Saxony state election was held on 2 February 2003 to elect the members of the 15th Landtag of Lower Saxony. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) majority government led by Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel was defeated. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came up one seat short of a majority, and formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). CDU leader Christian Wulff was subsequently elected minister-president. Background The election in Lower Saxony had larger significance than just in the state itself. Defeat for the Social Democrats in the election would mean they lost their slim majority in the upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat. It was thought this might cause the collapse of Gerhard Schröder's national coalition government between the Social Democrats and the Green Party. Allan Hall The joke's on Schroder as Germans seek serious answers to economic crisis Scotland on Sunday 21 2002-12-01 Campaign and issues The economy was seen as the most important issue in the election, with the Social Democrats suffering as a result. http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/02/02/germany.elex/index.html State voters reject Schroeder 2009-09-20 2003-02-03 CNN Opinion polls in December 2002 showed the Christian Democrats in the lead with 43% as against 34% for the Social Democrats. Allan Hall Germany is desperately seeking Schroder as chancellor loses his grip The Scotsman 9 2002-12-26 Parties The table below lists parties represented in the 14th Landtag of Lower Saxony. Name Ideology Leader(s) 1998 result Votes (%) Seats SPD Social Democratic Party of Germanyde Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands Social democracy Sigmar Gabriel 47.9% 83 157 Social Democratic Party of Germany CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germanyde Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands Christian democracy Christian Wulff 35.9% 62 157 Christian Democratic Union of Germany Grüne Alliance 90/The Greensde Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Green politics 7.0% 12 157 Alliance 90/The Greens Opinion polling Polling firm Fieldwork date Samplesize SPD CDU Grüne FDP Others Lead 2003 state election 2 Feb 2003 – 33.4 48.3 7.6 8.1 2.5 14.9 Forsa 27–30 Jan 2003 1,014 33 48 8 7 4 15 Forsa 20–24 Jan 2003 1,103 35 48 8 6 3 13 Emnid 23 Jan 2003 ? 37 46 9 5 3 9 Infratest dimap 16–20 Jan 2003 1,000 36 48 7 5 4 12 Forsa 13–18 Jan 2003 1,008 36 48 8 5 3 12 Infratest dimap 9–13 Jan 2003 1,000 37 46 8 6 3 9 Forsa 6–10 Jan 2003 1,027 37 46 9 5 3 9 Forschungsgruppe Wahlen 6–9 Jan 2003 1,044 37 45 8 6 4 8 Forsa 27 Dec 2002–3 Jan 2003 1,122 36 46 10 5 3 10 Infratest dimap 2–4 Dec 2002 1,000 40 45 7 5 3 5 Emnid 14–20 Nov 2002 1,003 34 43 12 6 5 9 Forsa 23 Sep 2002 ? 47 36.5 7.5 4.5 4.5 11.5 Emnid 30 Aug–4 Sep 2002 1,000 42 38 7 8 5 4 Infratest dimap 14 Jun 2002 1,000 45 35 6 11 3 10 Emnid 31 May 2002 ? 39 37 6 12 6 2 Forsa 17 Apr 2002 ? 43 41 6 4 6 2 Emnid 21–27 Feb 2002 1,000 43 37 7 8 5 6 Forsa 11–27 Feb 2002 1,327 43 39 6 5 7 4 Infratest dimap 31 Aug 2001 ? 44 36 6 9 5 8 Forsa 22 Jun 2001 ? 46 37 7 5 5 9 Infratest dimap 20 Feb 2001 ? 48 35 7 5 5 13 Forsa 28 Oct 1999 ? 41 46 6 4 3 5 Infratest dimap 21–24 Oct 1999 1,000 41 46 5 4 4 5 1998 state election 1 Mar 1998 – 47.9 35.9 7.0 4.9 4.3 12.0 Election result Summary of the 2 February 2003 election results for the Landtag of Lower Saxony |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- ! Seats % |- | bgcolor=Christian Democratic Union of Germany| | align=left | Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | align=right| 1,925,055 | align=right| 48.3 | align=right| 12.4 | align=right| 91 | align=right| 29 | align=right| 49.7 |- | bgcolor=Social Democratic Party of Germany| | align=left | Social Democratic Party (SPD) | align=right| 1,330,156 | align=right| 33.4 | align=right| 14.5 | align=right| 63 | align=right| 20 | align=right| 34.4 |- | bgcolor=Free Democratic Party (Germany)| | align=left | Free Democratic Party (FDP) | align=right| 323,107 | align=right| 8.1 | align=right| 3.2 | align=right| 15 | align=right| 15 | align=right| 8.2 |- | bgcolor=Alliance 90/The Greens| | align=left | Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | align=right| 304,532 | align=right| 7.6 | align=right| 0.6 | align=right| 14 | align=right| 2 | align=right| 7.7 |- ! colspan=8| |- | bgcolor=#63B8FF| | align=left | Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Schill party) | align=right| 40,342 | align=right| 1.0 | align=right| New | align=right| 0 | align=right| New | align=right| 0 |- | bgcolor=The Left (Germany)| | align=left | Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) | align=right| 21,560 | align=right| 0.5 | align=right| 0.5 | align=right| 0 | align=right| ±0 | align=right| 0 |- | bgcolor=Other| | align=left | Others | align=right| 39,257 | align=right| 1.0 | align=right| | align=right| 0 | align=right| ±0 | align=right| 0 |- ! align=right colspan=2| Total ! align=right| 3,984,009 ! align=right| 100.0 ! align=right| ! align=right| 183 ! align=right| 26 ! align=right| |- ! align=right colspan=2| Voter turnout ! align=right| ! align=right| 67.0 ! align=right| 6.8 ! align=right| ! align=right| ! align=right| |} Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 48.32 SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 33.38 FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) 8.11 B'90/GRÜNE Alliance 90/The Greens 7.64 SCHILL #63B8FF 1.01 PDS The Left (Germany) 0.54 Other #777777 0.99 Landtag seats #ddd 600px 410px CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 49.73 SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 34.43 FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) 8.20 B'90/GRÜNE Alliance 90/The Greens 7.65 References Category:2003 elections in Germany 2003 Category:February 2003 in Germany Category:2000s in Lower Saxony