View source for 2009 German federal election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| country = Germany
| type = parliamentary
| previous_election = 2005 German federal election
| previous_year = 2005
| election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|2009|09|27}}
| next_election = 2013 German federal election
| next_year = 2013
| outgoing_members = List of members of the 16th Bundestag
| elected_members = List of members of the 17th Bundestag
| seats_for_election = All 622 seats in the [[Bundestag]], including 24 [[overhang seat]]s
| majority_seats = 312
| registered = 62,168,489 ({{increase}} 0.5%)
| turnout = 70.8% ({{decrease}} 6.9 [[percentage point|pp]])
| image_size = 130x130px
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Angela Merkel 2009a (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| candidate1 = [[Angela Merkel]]
| party1 = CDU/CSU
| last_election1 = 35.2%, 226 seats
| seats1 = '''239'''
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 13
| popular_vote1 = '''14,658,515'''
| percentage1 = '''33.8%'''
| swing1 = {{decrease}} 1.4 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Frank-Walter Steinmeier 20090902-DSCF9761.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 10|oLeft = 5}}
| candidate2 = [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]]
| party2 = Social Democratic Party of Germany
| last_election2 = {{nowrap|34.2%, 222 seats}}
| seats2 = 146
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 76
| popular_vote2 = 9,990,488
| percentage2 = 23.0%
| swing2 = {{decrease}} 11.2 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Westerwelle hamm 2009 ankunft.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| candidate3 = [[Guido Westerwelle]]
| party3 = Free Democratic Party (Germany)
| last_election3 = 9.8%, 61 seats
| seats3 = 93
| seat_change3 = {{increase}} 32
| popular_vote3 = 6,316,080
| percentage3 = 14.6%
| swing3 = {{increase}} 4.8 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image =German Left leadership 2009.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| candidate4 = [[Gregor Gysi]] &<br>[[Oskar Lafontaine]]
| party4 = The Left (Germany)
| last_election4 = 8.7%, 54 seats
| seats4 = 76
| seat_change4 = {{increase}} 22
| popular_vote4 = 5,155,933
| percentage4 = 11.9%
| swing4 = {{increase}} 3.2 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image =German Greens leadership 2009.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| candidate5 = [[Jürgen Trittin]] &<br>[[Renate Künast]]
| party5 = Alliance 90/The Greens
| last_election5 = 8.1%, 51 seats
| seats5 = 68
| seat_change5 = {{increase}} 17
| popular_vote5 = 4,643,272
| percentage5 = 10.7%
| swing5 = {{increase}} 2.6 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!-- Map -->| map_image = 2009 German federal election.svg
| map_size = 400px
| map_caption = Results of the election. The main map shows constituency winners, and results for the proportional list seats are shown in the bottom left.
| title = [[Cabinet of Germany|Government]]
| before_election = [[First Merkel cabinet]]
| before_party = [[Grand coalition (Germany)|CDU/CSU–SPD]]
| posttitle = Government after election
| after_election = [[Second Merkel cabinet]]
| after_party = [[CDU/CSU]]–[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]
}}
The '''2009 German federal election''' was held in [[Germany]] on 27 September 2009 to elect the members of the 17th [[Bundestag]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Der Wahltermin für die Bundestagswahl 2009|url=http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09|work=[[Federal Returning Officer|Der Bundeswahlleiter]]|access-date=5 January 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222033457/http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09/|archive-date=22 December 2008}}</ref>

The [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU), its [[Bavaria]]n sister party, the [[Christian Social Union of Bavaria|Christian Social Union]] (CSU), and the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) won the election, and the three parties formed a new [[centre-right]] government with [[Angela Merkel]] as [[Chancellor of Germany|chancellor]]. While [[CDU/CSU]]'s share of votes decreased slightly, it was more than compensated by the gains of their "desired coalition partner", the liberal FDP, that won the strongest result in its history.

CDU and CSU's former partner in the "[[Grand coalition (Germany)|Grand coalition]]", the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) led by [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]], conceded defeat<ref>{{cite news |date=27 September 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6237210/Merkels-rival-concedes-defeat-in-German-election.html |title=Merkel's rival concedes defeat in German election |work=The Telegraph |access-date=28 September 2009 |location=London |archive-date=29 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829125712/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6237210/Merkels-rival-concedes-defeat-in-German-election.html |url-status=live }}</ref> after dropping by more than 11 percentage points, receiving its hitherto worst result since the end of the Second World War (only undercut in 2017 and 2025). At 70.8 percent, the voter turnout was the lowest in a German federal election since 1949.

== Electoral system ==
According to Article 38 of the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]], members of the Bundestag shall be elected in general, direct, free, equal, and secret elections; everyone over the age of eighteen is entitled to vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GG - Art 38 |trans-title=Basic Law: Article 38 |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gg/art_38.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814195324/http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gg/art_38.html |archive-date=14 August 2016 |access-date=2016-08-18 |website=www.gesetze-im-internet.de |language=de}}</ref>

In 2008, some modifications to the electoral system were required under an order of the [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany]]. The court had found a provision in the Federal Election Law by which it was possible for a party to experience a [[negative vote weight]], namely losing seats due to more votes, violated the constitutional guarantee of the electoral system being equal and direct.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 July 2008 |title=Federal Constitutional Court decision on the Federal Election Law |url=http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/cs20080703_2bvc000107.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054240/http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/cs20080703_2bvc000107.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=20 September 2013 |publisher=Bverfg.de}}</ref> The court allowed three years for these changes, so the 2009 German federal election was not affected. The changes were due by 30 June 2011 but appropriate legislation was not completed by that deadline. A new electoral law was enacted in late 2011 but was declared unconstitutional once again by the Federal Constitutional Court upon lawsuits from the opposition parties and a group of some 4,000 private citizens.<ref>[http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/fs20120725_2bvf000311.html Decision of the Federal Constitutional Court] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819083228/http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/fs20120725_2bvf000311.html|date=19 August 2012}}. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.</ref>

Four of the five factions in the Bundestag agreed on an electoral reform whereby the number of seats in the Bundestag will be increased as much as necessary to ensure that any [[Overhang seat|overhang seats]] are [[Overhang seat#Dealing with overhang seats|compensated]] through apportioned [[Leveling seat|leveling seats]], to ensure full proportionality according to the political party's share of party votes at the national level.<ref>[http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/118/1711819.pdf Bill amending the Federal Election Law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224192943/http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/118/1711819.pdf|date=24 December 2012}}. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2012.</ref> The Bundestag approved and enacted the new electoral reform in February 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-02-22 |title=Bundestag: Deutschland hat ein neues Wahlrecht |trans-title=Germany has a new electoral law |url=http://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2013-02/bundestag-wahlrecht-beschluss |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054549/http://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2013-02/bundestag-wahlrecht-beschluss |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=2016-08-18 |newspaper=Die Zeit |language=de |issn=0044-2070}}</ref>

The Bundestag is elected using [[mixed-member proportional representation]], meaning that each voter has two votes, a [[first vote]] for the election of a constituency candidate by [[first-past-the-post]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=BWahlG - § 5 Wahl in den Wahlkreisen |trans-title=Federal Election Act: Section 5 |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__5.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006104512/https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__5.html |archive-date=6 October 2016 |access-date=2016-08-18 |website=www.gesetze-im-internet.de |language=de}}</ref> and a [[second vote]] for the election of a [[State list (Germany)|state list]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BWahlG - § 4 Stimmen |trans-title=Federal Election Act: Section 4 |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__4.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006104554/https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__4.html |archive-date=6 October 2016 |access-date=2016-08-18 |website=www.gesetze-im-internet.de |language=de}}</ref> The [[Sainte-Laguë/Schepers]] method is used to convert the votes into seats,<ref>{{cite web |title=Der Bundeswahlleiter |url=https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/glossar/texte/Saint_Lague_Schepers.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923232232/https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/glossar/texte/Saint_Lague_Schepers.html |archive-date=23 September 2016 |access-date=2016-08-18 |website=www.bundeswahlleiter.de}}</ref> in a two-stage process with each stage involving two calculations. First, the number of seats to be allocated to each state is calculated, based on the proportion of the German population living there. Then the seats in each state are allocated to the party lists in that state, based on the proportion of second votes each party received.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=BWahlG - § 6 |trans-title=Federal Election Act: Section 6 |url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__6.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006104513/https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwahlg/__6.html |archive-date=6 October 2016 |access-date=2016-08-18 |website=www.gesetze-im-internet.de |language=de}}</ref>

In the distribution of seats among state lists, only parties that have obtained at least [[Five percent hurdle|five percent of the valid second votes cast]] in the electoral area or have won a seat in at least three [[List of Bundestag constituencies|constituencies]] are taken into consideration.<ref name=":0" /> The minimum number of seats for each party at federal level is then determined. This is done by calculating, for each party state list, the number of constituency seats it won on the basis of the first votes, as well as the number of seats to which it is entitled on the basis of the second votes. The higher of these two figures is the party's minimum number of seats in that state. Adding together the minimum number of seats to which the party is entitled in all of the states produces a total representing its guaranteed minimum number of seats in the country as a whole.<ref name=":0" />

In order to ensure that each party receives its guaranteed minimum number of seats when the seats are allocated using the [[Sainte-Laguë/Schepers|Sainte-Laguë/Schepers method]], it may become necessary to increase the number of seats in the Bundestag. Then it must be ensured that the seats are distributed to the parties in line with their national share of the second votes.<ref name=":0" /> Additional overhang seats, or balance seats, are created to ensure that the distribution of the seats reflects the parties' share of the second votes and that no party receives fewer than its guaranteed minimum number of seats. Balance seats are also necessary to ensure that each party requires roughly the same number of second votes per seat. Once the number of seats which each party is entitled to receive across the country has been determined, the seats are allocated to the parties' individual state lists. Each state list must receive at least as many seats as the number of constituencies which the party won in the state in question.<ref name=":0" />

==Campaign==
Since the [[2005 German federal election|2005 election]], Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had governed in a [[grand coalition]] with the SPD. However, it was her stated goal to win a majority for [[CDU/CSU]] and FDP (the CDU/CSU's traditional coalition partner) in 2009.

Foreign minister and [[Vice-Chancellor of Germany|Vice-Chancellor]] [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] (SPD) was formally nominated as his party's chancellor-candidate at a convention on 18 October 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Frank-Walter Steinmeier zum SPD-Kanzlerkandidaten gewählt |url=http://www.spd.de/menu/1759371 |work=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands]] |date=18 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119100322/http://www.spd.de/menu/1759371/ |archive-date=19 November 2008 }}</ref> He aimed to form a government in which the SPD was the strongest party, but which also excluded the left-socialist party [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]].<ref>https://cn.reuters.com/article/instant-article/idUSTRE58M2OS20090923|date=March{{Dead link|date=November 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 2012}</ref>

The election campaign was considered exceptionally boring,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,651614,00.html |title=Apathy in Germany: Record Low Voter Turnout Expected in National Election |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |date=25 September 2009 |access-date=27 September 2009 |archive-date=29 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929072254/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,651614,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which may be attributable to a perceived lack of charisma on the part of the leaders of the CDU and SPD.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8256413.stm |title='Merkel factor' could decide German vote |date=17 September 2009 |access-date=27 September 2009 |work=BBC News |archive-date=30 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930024157/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8256413.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Another reason pointed to for the sedate campaign is that the CDU and SPD both defended the record of their grand coalition, and facing the possibility of having to continue the grand coalition in a friendly manner.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/25/left-german-elections |title=The left in the German elections |date=25 September 2009 |access-date=27 September 2009 |work=[[Socialist Worker]] Online |archive-date=26 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926181626/http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/25/left-german-elections |url-status=live }}</ref> Merkel was content with the low-key campaign style, which was largely seen as benefiting her party because of her high approval ratings.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chu |first=Henry |date=27 September 2009 |title=Many Germans may sit out this vote |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-germany-election27-2009sep27,0,6021371.story?track=rss |url-status=live |access-date=27 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001110330/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-germany-election27-2009sep27,0,6021371.story?track=rss |archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref>

CDU candidate [[Vera Lengsfeld]] released a campaign poster featuring herself and Merkel in a way that emphasised their [[cleavage (breasts)|cleavage]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2009-08-12|title=Bosom pals pep up German politics|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8198271.stm|access-date=2021-10-17|archive-date=17 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017025319/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8198271.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The poster bore the slogan "We have more to offer" (German: "{{Lang|de|Wir haben mehr zu bieten}}").<ref>{{cite news |title=German Politician Uses Merkel's Cleavage to Woo Voters |newspaper=Der Spiegel |date=11 August 2009 |access-date=28 September 2009 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,641787,00.html |archive-date=21 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921111944/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,641787,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 23 September 2009, four days before the federal elections, German police raided the Berlin headquarters of the [[National Democratic Party of Germany]] NPD to investigate claims that letters sent from the NPD to politicians from immigrant backgrounds [[Incitement to ethnic or racial hatred|incited racial hatred]]. The NPD leader in Berlin defended the letters saying that "As part of a democracy, we're entitled to say if something doesn't suit us in this country."<ref>{{cite news|date=23 September 2009|title=German 'race hate' letters probed|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8270598.stm|url-status=live|access-date=19 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416042034/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8270598.stm|archive-date=16 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=22 September 2009|title=NPD sends offensive letter to candidates with Turkish background|publisher=Deutsche Welle|url=http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,4713188,00.html?maca=en-currentaffairs_germany-77-rdf|url-status=dead|access-date=15 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009175425/http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,4713188,00.html?maca=en-currentaffairs_germany-77-rdf|archive-date=9 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=23 September 2009|title=Neo-Nazis tell immigrants to 'go home'|agency=Agence France-Presse|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,26113608-401,00.html|url-status=dead|access-date=15 October 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231034847/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,26113608-401,00.html|archive-date=31 December 2012}} [http://web-capture.net/picture.php?pic_index=1&presentation_method=inline Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=22 September 2009|title=Anger results after German neo-Nazis tell immigrant candidates to 'go home'|url=http://www.canada.com/news/Anger+results+after+German+Nazis+tell+immigrant+candidates+home/2019845/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107230726/http://www.canada.com/news/Anger+results+after+German+Nazis+tell+immigrant+candidates+home/2019845/story.html|archive-date=7 November 2009|access-date=15 October 2015|website=Canada.com}}</ref>

The federal election was the final and most important election in what is called a {{Lang|de|Superwahljahr}} (super election year) in Germany. In addition to the election of a new Bundestag, also scheduled for 2009 were the election to the [[European Parliament]] on 7 June, seven [[local election]]s on the same day, five [[Elections in Germany#State elections in the Federal Republic of Germany|state elections]] and an additional local election in August and September and the [[2009 German presidential election|election]] of the [[president of Germany]] by the [[Bundesversammlung (Germany)|Federal Assembly]] on 23 May.

==Opinion polls==
[[File:Germany 2009 polling.svg|thumb|center|700px|Average trend line of poll results from 18 September 2005 to 27 September 2009 with each line corresponding to a political party.
{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|CDU/CSU}} solid 5px|[[CDU/CSU]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}} solid 5px|[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}} solid 5px|[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}} solid 5px|[[The Left (Germany)|LINKE]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}} solid 5px|[[Alliance 90/The Greens|GRÜNE]]}}
}}]]

The CDU/CSU and FDP, with an average vote share of around 50% in pre-election polling during the weeks before the election, were clearly ahead of the other traditional coalition partners in Germany, SPD and [[Alliance 90/The Greens|the Greens]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abehnisch.com/btw09.html |publisher=Alexej Behnisch |access-date=21 July 2009 |date=17 July 2009 |title=Opinion Poll Tracker Bundestagswahl 2009 Germany's Federal Election |archive-date=26 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926140710/http://www.abehnisch.com/btw09.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5" style="text-align:center"
! style="text-align:left;" |Institute
! style="text-align:left;" |Date
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]]/[[Christian Social Union of Bavaria|CSU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:4em" | Others
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |[[Forschungsgruppe Wahlen]]<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 18 Sept
| 36%
| 25%
| 10%
| 13%
| 11%
| 5%
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |Forsa
| 16 Sept
| 37%
| 24%
| 11%
| 12%
| 10%
| 6%
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |Allensbach
| 16 Sept
| 36%
| 22.5%
| 12%
| 12.5%
| 12%
| 6%
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |Forschungsgruppe Wahlen<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 11 Sept
| 36%
| 23%
| 11%
| 14%
| 11%
| 5%
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |[[Infratest dimap]]<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 10 Sept
| 35%
| 23%
| 12%
| 14%
| 12%
| 4%
|- class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |[[Allensbach Institute|Allensbach]]<ref>[https://www.faz.net/s/Rub4D6E6242947140018FC1DA8D5E0008C5/Doc~EAB7357638589470496F63602B8BE2E6D~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html?rss_politik Allensbach-Umfrage: Vorsprung für Schwarz-Gelb schrumpft.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130172755/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/ |date=30 November 2021 }} FAZ.NET, 9 September 2009</ref>
| 9 Sept
| 35%
| 22.5%
| 13%
| 13%
| 11.5%
| 5%
|- style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |Forschungsgruppe Wahlen<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link">{{cite web |url=http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/index.htm |title=Sonntagsfrage&nbsp;– Umfragen zur Bundestagswahl (Wahlumfrage, Wahlumfragen) |publisher=Wahlrecht.de |access-date=28 September 2009 |archive-date=17 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417052610/http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| 4 Sept
| 37%
| 23%
| 11%
| 15%
| 10%
| 4%
|- style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |Emnid<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 3 Sept
| 34%
| 26%
| 11%
| 14%
| 11%
| 4%
|-  style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |INFO GmbH<ref name="Wahlumfragen2-Link">{{cite web |url=http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/weitere-umfragen.htm |title=Sonntagsfrage&nbsp;– Umfragen zur Bundestagswahl weiterer Institute |publisher=Wahlrecht.de |access-date=28 September 2009 |archive-date=6 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006041837/http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/weitere-umfragen.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| 2 Sept
| 35%
| 23%
| 12%
| 14%
| 11%
| 4%
|- style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |[[Allensbach Institute|Allensbach]]<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 1 Sept
| 35.5%
| 23%
| 13.5%
| 14%
| 9.5%
| 4.5%
|-  class="hintergrundfarbe2" style="text-align:center"
| style="text-align:left" |GMS<ref name="Wahlumfragen-Link" />
| 24 Aug
| 37%
| 23%
| 13%
| 13%
| 9%
| 5%
|}

==Results==
{{For|results by state and constituency|Results of the 2009 German federal election}}
{{see also|List of members of the 17th Bundestag}}
[[File:German Federal Election - Party list vote results by state - 2009.png|180px|thumb|[[Party list]] election results by state: blue denotes states where [[CDU/CSU]] had the plurality of votes; purple denotes states where [[The Left (Germany)|Die Linke]] had the plurality of votes; and pink denotes states where the [[SPD]] had the plurality of votes]]
[[File:Bundestagswahl2009 Zweitstimmen.svg|thumb|Party list results by constituency]]

The [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU), the [[Christian Social Union of Bavaria]] (CSU), and the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) were able to form a centre-right government, with [[Angela Merkel]] of the CDU continuing as the [[Chancellor of Germany|chancellor]] and the leader of the FDP, [[Guido Westerwelle]], becoming [[Foreign Minister of Germany|foreign minister]] and [[Vice-Chancellor of Germany|vice-chancellor]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=acOIBUgWZgQ4 |title=Merkel's FDP Coalition Partner Approves Four-Year Policy Plan |work=Bloomberg |date=25 October 2009 |access-date=7 March 2017 }}</ref>

The CDU/CSU received a slightly lower proportion than in the previous election, with the Bavarian CSU receiving its lowest vote share in decades.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,651688,00.html |title=Boost for the FDP: The German Election's Biggest Winner |date=28 September 2009 |access-date=28 September 2009 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] Online |archive-date=29 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929062020/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,651688,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Overall, the CDU/CSU had their worst vote share in 60 years.<ref>{{Cite news |title=A new buzz for Germany |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14530467&source=features_box_main |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=28 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001140235/http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14530467&source=features_box_main |archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref> In contrast, their preferred coalition partner, the liberal FDP, gained nearly 5% points to give it 14.6% of the vote, the best result of its history. The big loser of the election was the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]], which received its worst result ever in a federal election, receiving only 23% of the total party vote and suffering the biggest percentage loss of any party in German federal election history in 60 years. The two other parties represented in the [[Bundestag]], the Left and the Greens, both made large gains and received the highest vote share of their respective histories. For the first time, The Left won constituency seats outside its traditional stronghold of [[East Berlin]]. As a result of the losses by the SPD and the gains by the FDP, the alliance of the CDU/CSU and FDP received an outright majority of seats, ensuring that Angela Merkel would continue as chancellor.

Had the CDU/CSU and FDP failed to win a majority of seats, possible alternative coalitions may have included a continuation of the grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD. A [[traffic light coalition]] (SPD–FDP–Greens) was specifically ruled out by FDP leader [[Guido Westerwelle]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=SPIEGEL Interview With FDP Leader Westerwelle: 'I Consider a Coalition With the SPD and Greens Out of the Question' |newspaper=Der Spiegel |date=18 August 2009 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,643586-2,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210164820/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,643586-2,00.html |archive-date=10 December 2019 |access-date=9 September 2009}}</ref>

{{Election results
|firstround=Party-list|secondround=Constituency
|image=[[File:2009 German federal election - composition chart.svg]]
|party1=[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]|votes1=11828277|seats1=21|votes1_2=13856674|seats1_2=173|totseats1=194|sc1=+14
|party2=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]|votes2=9990488|seats2=82|votes2_2=12079758|seats2_2=64|totseats2=146|sc2=−76
|party3=[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]|votes3=6316080|seats3=93|votes3_2=4076496|seats3_2=0|totseats3=93|sc3=+32
|party4=[[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]|votes4=5155933|seats4=60|votes4_2=4791124|seats4_2=16|totseats4=76|sc4=+22
|party5=[[Alliance 90/The Greens]]|votes5=4643272|seats5=67|votes5_2=3977125|seats5_2=1|totseats5=68|sc5=+17
|party6=[[Christian Social Union in Bavaria|Christian Social Union]]|votes6=2830238|seats6=0|votes6_2=3191000|seats6_2=45|totseats6=45|sc6=−1
|party7=[[Pirate Party Germany]]|votes7=847870|seats7=0|votes7_2=46770|seats7_2=0|totseats7=0|sc7=New
|party8=[[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]]|votes8=635525|seats8=0|votes8_2=768442|seats8_2=0|totseats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=[[Human Environment Animal Protection Party]]|votes9=230872|seats9=0|votes9_2=16887|seats9_2=0|totseats9=0|sc9=0
|party10=[[The Republicans (Germany)|The Republicans]]|votes10=193396|seats10=0|votes10_2=30061|seats10_2=0|totseats10=0|sc10=0
|party11=[[Ecological Democratic Party]]|votes11=132249|seats11=0|votes11_2=105653|seats11_2=0|totseats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=[[Family Party of Germany|Family Party]]|votes12=120718|seats12=0|votes12_2=17848|seats12_2=0|totseats12=0|sc12=0
|party13={{ill|Pensioners' Party (Germany)|de|Rentnerinnen- und Rentner-Partei|lt=Alliance 21/RRP}}|votes13=100605|seats13=0|votes13_2=37946|seats13_2=0|totseats13=0|sc13=New|color13={{party color|Alliance 21/RRP}}
|party14={{ill|Pensioner Party Germany|de|Rentner Partei Deutschland}}|votes14=56399|seats14=0|totseats14=0|sc14=New|color14={{party color|Pensioners' Party}}
|party15=[[Bavaria Party]]|votes15=48311|seats15=0|votes15_2=32324|seats15_2=0|totseats15=0|sc15=0
|party16=[[German People's Union]]|votes16=45752|seats16=0|totseats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=[[Party of Bible-abiding Christians]]|votes17=40370|seats17=0|votes17_2=12052|seats17_2=0|totseats17=0|sc17=0
|party18=[[Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität]]|votes18=38706|seats18=0|votes18_2=34894|seats18_2=0|totseats18=0|sc18=0
|party19=[[The Violets (political party)|The Violets]]|votes19=31957|seats19=0|votes19_2=5794|seats19_2=0|totseats19=0|sc19=0
|party20=[[Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany|Marxist–Leninist Party]]|votes20=29261|seats20=0|votes20_2=17512|seats20_2=0|totseats20=0|sc20=0
|party21={{ill|From now on... Democracy through Referendum|de|Ab jetzt … Demokratie durch Volksabstimmung|lt=Alliance for Germany}}|votes21=23015|seats21=0|votes21_2=2550|seats21_2=0|totseats21=0|sc21=0|color21={{party color|Volksabstimmung}}
|party22=[[Free Voters]]|votes22=11243|seats22=0|totseats22=0|sc22=New|color22={{party color|Free Voters}}
|party23=[[Christian Centre]]|votes23=6826|seats23=0|totseats23=0|sc23=0
|party24=[[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]]|votes24=6087|seats24=0|votes24_2=369|seats24_2=0|totseats24=0|sc24=0
|party25=[[Socialist Equality Party (Germany)|Party for Social Equality]]|votes25=2957|seats25=0|totseats25=0|sc25=0
|party26={{ill|Alliance of the Centre (Germany)|de|Allianz der Mitte|lt=Alliance of the Centre}}|votes26=2889|seats26=0|votes26_2=396|seats26_2=0|totseats26=0|sc26=New|color26=#0D6AA9
|party27=[[German Communist Party]]|votes27=1894|seats27=0|votes27_2=929|seats27_2=0|totseats27=0|sc27=0
|party28={{ill|Free Union (Germany)|de|Freie Union|lt=Free Union}}|votes28_2=6121|seats28_2=0|totseats28=0|sc28=New|color28=#EFA700
|party29=[[Independent politician|Independents]] and voter groups|votes29_2=139275|seats29_2=0|totseats29=0|sc29=0
|invalid=634385|invalid2=757575
|total_sc=+8
|electorate=62168489|electorate2=62168489
|source=[https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2009.html Bundeswahlleiter]
}}
{{bar box
| title=Popular vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|'''CDU/CSU'''|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|33.80}}
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|23.03}}
{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|14.56}}
{{bar percent|DIE LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|11.89}}
{{bar percent|GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|10.71}}
{{bar percent|PIRATEN|{{party color|Pirate Party Germany}}|1.95}}
{{bar percent|Other|{{party color|Other}}|4.06}}
}}

{{bar box
| title=Bundestag seats
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|'''CDU/CSU'''|{{party color|CDU/CSU}}|38.42}}
{{bar percent|SPD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|23.47}}
{{bar percent|FDP|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|14.95}}
{{bar percent|DIE LINKE|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|12.22}}
{{bar percent|GRÜNE|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|10.93}}
}}
=== Results by state ===
Second Vote (''[[Zweitstimme]]'', or votes for [[State list (Germany)|party list]])

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
! [[States of Germany|State]]<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09/ergebnisse/landesergebnisse/ |title=The Federal Returning Officer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115225314/https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/BTW_BUND_09/ergebnisse/landesergebnisse/|archive-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> results in % || [[Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands|CDU]]/[[Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern|CSU]] || [[Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands|SPD]] || [[Freie Demokratische Partei|FDP]] || [[The Left (Germany)|LINKE]] || [[Bündnis 90/Die Grünen|GRÜNE]] || all others
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Baden-Württemberg}} || '''34.5''' || 19.3 || 18.8 || 7.2 || 13.9 || 6.3
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Bavaria}} || '''42.6''' || 16.8 || 14.7 || 6.5 || 10.8 || 8.6
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Berlin}} || '''22.8''' || 20.2 || 11.5 || 20.2 || 17.4 || 7.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Brandenburg}} || 23.6 || 25.1 || 9.3 || '''28.5''' || 6.1 || 7.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Bremen}} || 23.9 || '''30.3''' || 10.6 || 14.2 || 15.4 || 5.6
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Hamburg}} || '''27.9''' || 27.4 || 13.2 || 11.2 || 15.6 || 4.7
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Hesse}} || '''32.2''' || 25.6 || 16.6 || 8.5 || 12.0 || 5.1
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}} || '''33.2''' || 16.6 || 9.8 || 29.0 || 5.5 || 5.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Lower Saxony}} || '''33.2''' || 29.3 || 13.3 || 8.6 || 10.7 || 4.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|North Rhine-Westphalia}} || '''33.1''' || 28.5 || 14.9 || 8.4 || 10.1 || 5.0
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Rhineland-Palatinate}} || '''35.0''' || 23.8 || 16.6 || 9.4 || 9.7 || 5.5
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Saarland}} || '''30.7''' || 24.7 || 11.9 || 21.2 || 6.8 || 4.7
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Saxony}} || '''35.6''' || 14.6 || 13.3 || 24.5 || 6.7 || 5.3
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Saxony-Anhalt}} || 30.1 || 16.9 || 10.3 || '''32.4''' || 5.1 || 5.2
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Schleswig-Holstein}} || '''32.2''' || 26.8 || 16.3 || 7.9 || 12.7 || 4.1
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Thuringia}} || '''31.2''' || 17.6 || 9.8 || 28.8 || 6.0 || 6.6
|}
<gallery>
File:Bundestag 2009 CDU-CSU.svg|CDU-CSU vote
File:Bundestag 2009 SPD.svg|SPD vote
File:Bundestag 2009 FDP.svg|FDP vote
File:Bundestag 2009 Linke.svg|Linke vote
File:Bundestag 2009 Buendnisgruene.svg|Grüne vote
File:Bundestag 2009 PIRATEN.svg|PIRATEN vote
</gallery>
==== Constituency seats ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 0.9em;"
! rowspan="3" |State
! rowspan="3" |Total<br>seats
! colspan="5" |Seats won
|-
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Christian Social Union in Bavaria|CSU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Linke]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Grüne]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Social Union in Bavaria}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}};" |
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Baden-Württemberg]]
!38
|37
|1
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Bavaria]]
!45
|
|
|45
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Berlin]]
!12
|5
|2
|
|4
|1
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Brandenburg]]
!10
|1
|5
|
|4
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Bremen]]
!2
|
|2
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Hamburg]]
!6
|3
|3
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Hesse]]
!21
|15
|6
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Lower Saxony]]
!30
|16
|14
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
!7
|6
|
|
|1
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[North Rhine-Westphalia]]
!64
|37
|27
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Rhineland-Palatinate]]
!15
|13
|2
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saarland]]
!4
|4
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saxony]]
!16
|16
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saxony-Anhalt]]
!9
|4
|
|
|5
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Schleswig-Holstein]]
!11
|9
|2
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Thuringia]]
!9
|7
|
|
|2
|
|- class="sortbottom"
! style="text-align: left;" |Total
!299
!173
!64
!45
!16
!1
|}

==== List seats ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 0.9em;"
! rowspan="3" |State
! rowspan="3" |Total<br>seats
! colspan="5" |Seats won
|-
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Grüne]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany)|Linke]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:45px;" |[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Alliance 90}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};" |
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};" |
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Baden-Württemberg]]
!46
|15
|14
|11
|6
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Bavaria]]
!46
|14
|16
|10
|6
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Berlin]]
!11
|3
|3
|3
|1
|1
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Brandenburg]]
!9
|2
|
|1
|2
|4
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Bremen]]
!4
|1
|
|1
|1
|1
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Hamburg]]
!7
|2
|1
|2
|1
|1
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Hesse]]
!24
|8
|6
|6
|4
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Lower Saxony]]
!32
|9
|5
|7
|6
|5
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
!7
|1
|2
|1
|3
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[North Rhine-Westphalia]]
!65
|20
|12
|14
|11
|8
|- class="sortbottom"
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Rhineland-Palatinate]]
!17
|5
|6
|3
|3
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saarland]]
!6
|1
|2
|1
|2
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saxony]]
!19
|4
|5
|2
|8
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Saxony-Anhalt]]
!8
|2
|3
|1
|1
|1
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Schleswig-Holstein]]
!13
|4
|4
|3
|2
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |[[Thuringia]]
!9
|2
|3
|1
|3
|
|-
! style="text-align: left;" |Total
!323
!93
!82
!67
!60
!21
|}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal |last=Faas |first=Thorsten |year=2010 |title=The German Federal Election of 2009: Sprouting Coalitions, Drooping Social Democrats |journal=West European Politics |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=894–903 |doi=10.1080/01402381003794670 |s2cid=154171892 }}
* {{cite book |editor-first=Eric |editor-last=Langenbacher |title=Between Left and Right: The 2009 Bundestag Elections and the Transformation of the German Party System |location=New York |publisher=Berghahn Books |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85745-222-1 }} Scholarly studies.
* Reher, Stefanie. "The effect of congruence in policy priorities on electoral participation." ''Electoral Studies'' 36 (2014): 158–172. based on 2009 polls; [http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fass/events/epop2013/docs/Reher_EPOP2013_turnout-priority-congruence.pdf online]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Hansen, Michael A., and Jonathan Olsen. "Rhapsody in Beige: The Impact of SPD Candidate Evaluations on Vote Choice in the 2009, 2013, and 2017 Federal Elections." ''German Politics'' 29.2 (2020): 223–243. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Hansen-7/publication/335959540_Rhapsody_in_Beige_The_Impact_of_SPD_Candidate_Evaluations_on_Vote_Choice_in_the_2009_2013_and_2017_Federal_Elections/links/5e4bc87ba6fdccd965af1f8f/Rhapsody-in-Beige-The-Impact-of-SPD-Candidate-Evaluations-on-Vote-Choice-in-the-2009-2013-and-2017-Federal-Elections.pdf online]
* Schoen, Harald. "Merely a referendum on Chancellor Merkel? Parties, issues and candidates in the 2009 German federal election." ''German Politics'' 20.1 (2011): 92–106.

==External links==
* [http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2009.html Official voting results from the Federal Returning Officer]
* [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/index.htm Opinion poll tracker with data]
* [http://www.abehnisch.com/btw09.html Opinion poll tracker with graph and monthly average]
* [http://www.bei-der-wahl-am.de/en/german-elections-for-the-bundestag-candidates/ Bundestag Election Candidates]
* Analysis of the election by Ingo Schmidt: [http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/255.php The German Federal Elections: Centre-Right Wins Majority, Social Democracy Suffers Crushing Defeat, The Left Receives a Boost]

{{German federal elections}}
{{German Chancellor Candidate}}

[[Category:Federal elections in Germany]]
[[Category:2009 elections in Europe|Germany]]
[[Category:2009 elections in Germany|Federal Election]]
[[Category:Angela Merkel]]
[[Category:Frank-Walter Steinmeier]]
[[Category:September 2009 in Germany|Federal Election]]