2009 German federal election

2009 German federal election
OfficevonStetten · Public domain · source
Country	Germany
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2005 German federal election
Previous year	2005
Election date	27 September 2009
Next election	2013 German federal election
Next year	2013
Seats for election	All 622 seats in the Bundestag
Majority seats	312
Turnout	70.8% (down 6.9%)
Nominee1	Angela Merkel
Party1	CDU
Alliance1	CDU/CSU
Last election1	226 seats, 35.2%
Seats1	239
Seat change1	+13
Popular vote1	14,658,515
Percentage1	27.3%
Nominee2	Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Party2	SPD
Last election2	222 seats, 34.2%
Seats2	146
Seat change2	–76
Popular vote2	9,990,488
Percentage2	23.0%
Nominee3	Guido Westerwelle
Party3	FDP
Last election3	61 seats, 9.8%
Seats3	93
Seat change3	+32
Popular vote3	6,316,080
Percentage3	14.6%
Title	Chancellor
Before election	Angela Merkel
Before party	CDU
After election	Angela Merkel
After party	CDU

2009 German federal election was held on 27 September 2009 to elect the members of the 17th Bundestag. The election resulted in a decisive victory for the incumbent center-right coalition led by Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The major loser was the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which suffered its worst result in the Federal Republic of Germany since World War II, while the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) achieved its best-ever result, enabling the formation of a new CDU/CSU-FDP government.

Background

The election followed the grand coalition government formed after the 2005 German federal election, which paired Merkel's CDU/CSU with the SPD under Gerhard Schröder and later Frank-Walter Steinmeier. This coalition governed during the onset of the global financial crisis, implementing economic stimulus packages like the Konjunkturpaket II. Political tensions were high, with the Left Party, formed from the Party of Democratic Socialism and disaffected SPD members, gaining traction. The Treaty of Lisbon ratification and debates over the Bundeswehr mission in Afghanistan also shaped the political landscape, creating voter fatigue with the grand coalition and a desire for clearer political alternatives.

Parties and candidates

The incumbent Chancellor and CDU candidate was Angela Merkel, with her CSU ally Horst Seehofer. The SPD nominated its Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The FDP was led by Guido Westerwelle, who campaigned aggressively for tax cuts. The Greens were led by Jürgen Trittin and Renate Künast, while the Left Party's top candidates were Oskar Lafontaine and Gregor Gysi. Other parties contesting included The Republicans, the National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), and the Pirate Party Germany, which focused on Internet censorship and data protection.

Campaign

The campaign was dominated by economic policy following the financial crisis of 2007–2008. The CDU/CSU and FDP advocated for economic liberalism, tax reductions, and longer nuclear power plant lifespans. The SPD emphasized social justice and a national minimum wage, while attacking potential CDU/CSU-FDP plans for health care reform. The Greens focused on climate change and renewable energy. Key events included televised debates between Merkel and Steinmeier, and the FDP's successful mobilization under Westerwelle, whose slogan "More Net Income for All" resonated. The Left Party campaigned against the Hartz IV reforms and Bundeswehr deployments.

Results

Voter turnout fell to 70.8%, a significant decline. The CDU/CSU bloc won 33.8% of the second vote (239 seats), with the CDU securing 27.3% and the CSU 6.5%. The FDP achieved a historic 14.6% (93 seats). The SPD collapsed to 23.0% (146 seats), its lowest share in the Federal Republic of Germany. The Left Party gained 11.9% (76 seats), and the Greens 10.7% (68 seats). No other party crossed the 5% electoral threshold. The result gave the prospective black-yellow coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP a comfortable majority of 332 seats in the Bundestag.

Aftermath

The clear majority allowed Angela Merkel to form her second government, ending the grand coalition with the SPD. The new Cabinet Merkel II was sworn in on 28 October 2009, with Guido Westerwelle as Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister. Key policies included tax cuts, the reversal of the nuclear power phase-out via the Atomic Energy Act, and austerity measures in response to the European debt crisis. The SPD's defeat led to Steinmeier's resignation as party leader, succeeded by Sigmar Gabriel. The election solidified Merkel's dominance and marked a significant right|realignment of the German politics in German politics of German politics of German politics in Germany. Merkel's dominance and the German politics.