View source for 2004 Brandenburg state election

{{Short description|State election in Brandenburg, Germany}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name      = 2004 Brandenburg state election
| country            = Brandenburg
| type               = parliamentary
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = 1999 Brandenburg state election
| previous_year      = 1999
| next_election      = 2009 Brandenburg state election
| next_year          = 2009
| seats_for_election = All 88 seats in the [[Landtag of Brandenburg]]
| majority_seats     = 45
| election_date      = 19 September 2004
| turnout            = 1,168,909 (56.4%)<br>{{increase}} 2.1%

<!-- SPD -->
| image1             = [[File:Grundsteinlegung-schiffshebewerk-ndf-2009-37.jpg|115px]]
| leader1            = [[Matthias Platzeck]]
| party1             = Social Democratic Party of Germany
| leaders_seat1       = [[Potsdam II]]
| last_election1     = 37 seats, 39.3%
| seats1             = 33
| popular_vote1      = 372,942
| seat_change1       = {{decrease}} 4
| percentage1        = 31.9%
| swing1             = {{decrease}} 7.4%

<!-- Linke -->
| image2             = [[File:Enkelmann dagmar5 20081019 fredersdorf dsem.jpg|130px]]
| leader2            = [[Dagmar Enkelmann]]
| party2             = Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)
| leaders_seat2       = [[Barnim II (electoral district)|Barnim II]]
| last_election2     = 22 seats, 23.3%
| seats2             = 29
| popular_vote2      = 326,801
| seat_change2       = {{increase}} 7
| percentage2        = 28.0%
| swing2             = {{increase}} 4.7%

<!-- CDU -->
| image4             = Joerg Schoenbohm 01.jpg
| leader4            = [[Jörg Schönbohm]]
| party4             = Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
| leaders_seat4       = [[Electoral system of Germany|State-wide party list]]
| last_election4     = 25 seats, 26.5%
| seats4             = 20
| popular_vote4      = 227,062
| seat_change4       = {{decrease}} 5
| percentage4        = 19.4%
| swing4             = {{decrease}} 7.1%

<!-- DVU -->
| image5             = <div style="width:115px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{party color|German People's Union}}; font-size:38px;"> '''DVU''' </span></div>
| leader5            = Liane Hesselbarth
| party5             = German People's Union
| leaders_seat5       = [[Electoral system of Germany|State-wide party list]]
| last_election5     = 5 seats, 5.3%
| seats5             = 6
| popular_vote5      = 71,041
| seat_change5       = {{increase}} 1
| percentage5        = 6.1%
| swing5             = {{increase}} 0.8%

<!-- Map -->
| map_image = 2004 Brandenburg state election.svg
| map_size = 300px
| map_caption = Results for the single-member constituencies

<!-- Result -->
| title              = [[List of Ministers-President of Brandenburg|Government]]
| before_election = [[Matthias Platzeck|Platzeck I]]{{efn|Replaced Stolpe III cabinet in June 2002.}}
| before_party = [[Grand coalition (Germany)|SPD–CDU]]
| posttitle = Government after election
| after_election = [[Matthias Platzeck|Platzeck II]]
| after_party = [[Grand coalition (Germany)|SPD–CDU]]
}}
The '''2004 Brandenburg state election''' was held on 19 September 2004 to elect the members of the 4th [[Landtag of Brandenburg]]. The incumbent government of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) and [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) led by [[List of Ministers-President of Brandenburg|Minister-President]] [[Matthias Platzeck]] was returned with a significantly reduced majority. The [[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Party of Democratic Socialism]] (PDS) moved into second place, although polls prior to the election suggested it would become the largest party. The CDU fell to third place.

==Background==
The SPD had suffered losses in several state elections before Brandenburg. This was thought to be a consequence of the [[Agenda 2010]] policy, a series of [[economic liberal]] economic reforms adopted by the federal SPD government led by Chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]]. Many voters in eastern Germany turned to the [[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Party of Democratic Socialism]] (PDS), while many in the west later turned to [[Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative|Labour and Social Justice]], an SPD splinter party. In state elections, the SPD's growing unpopularity had chiefly benefited the CDU.

In Brandenburg, both Minister-President [[Matthias Platzeck]] (SPD) and his partner [[Jörg Schönbohm]] (CDU) supported Schröder's reforms. Both PDS and the [[German People's Union]] (DVU), which had entered the Landtag in 1999, campaigned in opposition.

==Parties==
The table below lists parties represented in the 3rd Landtag of Brandenburg.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 colspan=3| Name
! rowspan=2| Ideology
! rowspan=2| Leader(s)
! colspan=2| 1999 result
|-
! Votes (%)
! Seats
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}} |
| align=center| '''SPD'''
| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]]<br>{{small|''Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands''}}
| [[Social democracy]]
| [[Matthias Platzeck]]
| align=center| 39.3%
| {{Composition bar|37|89|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}}
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}} |
| align=center| '''CDU'''
| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany]]<br>{{small|''Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands''}}
| [[Christian democracy]]
| [[Jörg Schönbohm]]
| align=center| 26.5%
| {{Composition bar|25|89|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}}}
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}} |
| align=center| '''PDS'''
| [[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Party of Democratic Socialism]]<br>{{small|''Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus''}}
| [[Democratic socialism]]
| [[Dagmar Enkelmann]]
| align=center| 23.3%
| {{Composition bar|22|89|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}}
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German People's Union}} |
| align=center| '''DVU'''
| [[German People's Union]]<br>{{small|''Deutsche Volksunion''}}
| [[German nationalism]]
| 
| align=center| 5.3%
| {{Composition bar|5|89|{{party color|German People's Union}}}}
|}

==Opinion polling==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
|- style="height:40px;"
! style="width:160px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm
! style="width:140px;" rowspan="2"| Fieldwork date
! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| Sample<br>size
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|PDS]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[German People's Union|DVU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Grüne]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others
! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Lead
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|German People's Union}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}};"|
|- style="background:#E9E9E9;"
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm 2004 state election]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-19"| 19 Sep 2004
| –
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''31.9'''
| 19.4
| 28.0
| 6.1
| 3.6
| 3.3
| 7.7
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3.9
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-10"| 6–9 Sep 2004
| 1,034
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''29'''
| 23
| 27
| 6
| 6
| 5
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 2
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-09"| 6–8 Sep 2004
| 1,000
| 27
| 24
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''31'''
| 5
| 5
| 4
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 4
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forsa]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-07"| 30 Aug–4 Sep 2004
| 1,003
| 28
| 23
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''35'''
| 4
| 4
| 2
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Emnid]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-04"| 30 Aug–1 Sep 2004
| 751
| 29
| 25
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''31'''
| 3
| 5
| 4
| 3
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 2
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest]
| data-sort-value="2004-09-01"| August 2004
| 1,000
| 28
| 22
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''34'''
| 3.5
| 5.5
| 4
| 3
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forsa]
| data-sort-value="2004-08-24"| 16–20 Aug 2004
| 1,009
| 27
| 22
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''36'''
| 4
| 4
| 3
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2004-08-11"| 5–9 Aug 2004
| 1,001
| 28
| 26
| {{Party shading/Linke}}| '''29'''
| 4
| 5
| 4
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 1
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forsa]
| data-sort-value="2004-08-09"| 29 Jul–5 Aug 2004
| 1,001
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''33'''
| 27
| 30
| –
| 3
| 3
| 5
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Usuma]
| data-sort-value="2004-07-29"| June 2004
| 1,007
| 31
| {{Party shading/CDU}}| '''36'''
| 22
| –
| 5
| 4
| 2
| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forsa]
| data-sort-value="2004-06-03"| May 2004
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''33'''
| 30
| 22
| –
| 6
| 3
| 6
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2004-03-25"| 15–19 Mar 2004
| 1,001
| 30
| {{Party shading/CDU}}| '''34'''
| 20
| –
| 5
| 5
| 6
| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 4
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2003-10-22"| 15–20 Oct 2003
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''34'''
| 32
| 19
| –
| 4
| 6
| 5
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 2
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2003-06-20"| 9–15 Jun 2003
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''34'''
| {{Party shading/CDU}}| '''34'''
| 17
| –
| 6
| 5
| 4
| data-sort-value="0"| Tie
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2003-03-12"| 6–9 Mar 2003
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''36'''
| 35
| 17
| –
| 4
| 5
| 3
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 1
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm dimap]
| data-sort-value="2002-12-15"| 15 Dec 2002
| ?
| 34
| {{Party shading/CDU}}| '''36'''
| 20
| –
| 4
| 2
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 2
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2002-09-05"| 28 Aug–1 Sep 2002
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''46'''
| 23
| 20
| –
| 6
| 3
| 2
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 23
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2002-07-05"| 24–25 Jun 2002
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''40'''
| 29
| 21
| –
| 2
| 6
| 2
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 11
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2002-05-05"| 24–28 Apr 2002
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''35'''
| 30
| 24
| –
| 2
| 5
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Forsa]
| data-sort-value="2002-03-28"| March 2002
| 1,014
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''37'''
| 28
| 24
| –
| 3
| 3
| 5
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2001-10-19"| 9–14 Oct 2001
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''44'''
| 26
| 21
| –
| 2
| 3
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 18
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2001-04-30"| April 2001
| ?
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''45'''
| 25
| 21
| –
| 2
| 3
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 20
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2000-09-06"| 28 Aug–2 Sep 2000
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''44'''
| 25
| 21
| –
| 3
| 3
| 4
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 19
|-
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm Infratest dimap]
| data-sort-value="2000-09-06"| 25–29 Apr 2000
| 1,000
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''42'''
| 26
| 23
| 3
| 3
| 1
| 2
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 16
|- style="background:#E9E9E9;"
| [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/brandenburg.htm 1999 state election]
| data-sort-value="1999-09-05"| 5 Sep 1999
| –
| {{Party shading/SPD}}| '''39.3'''
| 26.5
| 23.3
| 5.3
| 1.9
| 1.9
| 1.7
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 12.7
|}

==Election result==
{{Election results
|caption=Summary of the 19 September 2004 election results for the [[Landtag of Brandenburg]]
|image=[[File:2004 Brandenburg Landtag.svg]]
|party1=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
|votes1=372942
|sw1={{decrease}} 7.42
|seats1=33
|sc1={{decrease}} 4
|party2=[[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Party of Democratic Socialism]] (PDS)
|colour2=#be3075
|votes2=326801
|sw2={{increase}} 4.62
|seats2=29
|sc2={{increase}} 7
|party3=[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
|votes3=227062
|sw3={{decrease}} 7.12
|seats3=20
|sc3={{decrease}} 5
|party6=[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
|votes6=38890
|sw6={{increase}} 1.47
|seats6=0
|sc6={{steady}}
|party5=[[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
|votes5=42091
|sw5={{increase}} 1.72
|seats5=0
|sc5={{steady}}
|party7=[[Family Party of Germany|Family Party]] (FAMILIE)
|votes7=30843
|sw7={{increase}} 2.64
|seats7=0
|sc7={{steady}}
|party4=[[German People's Union]] (DVU)
|votes4=71041
|sw4={{increase}} 0.80
|seats4=6
|sc4={{increase}} 1
|turnout=56.4
|turnoutsw={{increase}} 2.1
|party8=Others
|votes8=59239
|sw8={{increase}} 3.37
|seats8=0
|sc8={{steady}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Popular Vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|31.91}}
{{bar percent|PDS|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|27.96}}
{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|19.43}}
{{bar percent|DVU|{{party color|German People's Union}}|6.08}}
{{bar percent|B'90/GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|3.60}}
{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|3.33}}
{{bar percent|FAMILIE|{{party color|Family Party of Germany}}|2.64}}
{{bar percent|Other|#777777|5.07}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Landtag seats
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|37.50}}
{{bar percent|PDS|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|32.95}}
{{bar percent|CDU|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|22.73}}
{{bar percent|DVU|{{party color|German People's Union}}|6.82}}
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Brandenburg Landtagswahl 2004, Erststimmen Gemeinden.svg|frameless]]
|[[File:Brandenburg Landtagswahl 2004, Zweitstimmen Gemeinden.svg|frameless]]
|[[File:Landtagswahl Brandenburg 2004, 1. und 2. Stimme.svg|frameless|702x702px]]
|
|-
|[[First vote]]
|[[Second vote]]
|First vote and Second vote
|
|}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Sources==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041206235227/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/e/index_e.htm The Federal Returning Officer]

{{Brandenburg state elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandenburg State Election, 2004}}
[[Category:Elections in Brandenburg|2004]]
[[Category:2004 elections in Germany]]
[[Category:September 2004 in Germany]]
[[Category:21st century in Brandenburg]]