| Election Name: | 2017 North Rhine-Westphalia state election |
| Country: | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 North Rhine-Westphalia state election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2022 North Rhine-Westphalia state election |
| Next Year: | 2022 |
| Seats For Election: | All 199 seats in the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Majority Seats: | 100 |
| Election Date: | 14 May 2017 |
| Turnout: | 8,577,221 (65.2% 5.6pp) |
| Candidate1: | Armin Laschet |
| Party1: | Christian Democratic Union of Germany |
| Last Election1: | 67 seats, 26.3% |
| Seats1: | 72 |
| Seat Change1: | 5 |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,796,683 |
| Percentage1: | 33.0% |
| Swing1: | 6.7pp |
| Candidate2: | Hannelore Kraft |
| Party2: | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Last Election2: | 99 seats, 39.1% |
| Seats2: | 69 |
| Seat Change2: | 30 |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,649,205 |
| Percentage2: | 31.2% |
| Swing2: | 7.9pp |
| Candidate3: | Christian Lindner |
| Party3: | Free Democratic Party (Germany) |
| Last Election3: | 22 seats, 8.6% |
| Seats3: | 28 |
| Seat Change3: | 6 |
| Popular Vote3: | 1,065,307 |
| Percentage3: | 12.6% |
| Swing3: | 4.0pp |
| Candidate4: | Marcus Pretzell |
| Party4: | Alternative for Germany |
| Last Election4: | Did not exist |
| Seats4: | 16 |
| Seat Change4: | 16 |
| Popular Vote4: | 626,756 |
| Percentage4: | 7.4% |
| Swing4: | New party |
| Candidate5: | Sylvia Löhrmann |
| Party5: | Alliance 90/The Greens |
| Last Election5: | 29 seats, 11.3% |
| Seats5: | 14 |
| Seat Change5: | 15 |
| Popular Vote5: | 539,062 |
| Percentage5: | 6.4% |
| Swing5: | 4.9pp |
| Map Size: | 400px |
| Government | |
| Before Election: | Second Kraft cabinet |
| Before Party: | SPD–Green |
| Posttitle: | Government after election |
| After Election: | Laschet cabinet |
| After Party: | CDU–FDP |
The 2017 North Rhine-Westphalia state election was held on 14 May 2017 to elect the members of the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. The incumbent coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Greens led by Minister-President Hannelore Kraft was defeated. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) became the largest party and formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). CDU leader Armin Laschet was subsequently elected Minister-President.[1] [2]
This election was the last election in which an incumbent Minister-President was defeated until the 2022 Saarland state election.
The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia.
| Name | Ideology | Leader(s) | 2012 result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | |||||||
| bgcolor= | SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany | Social democracy | Hannelore Kraft | 39.1% | |||
| bgcolor= | CDU | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | Christian democracy | Armin Laschet | 26.3% | |||
| bgcolor= | Grüne | Alliance 90/The Greens | Green politics | Sylvia Löhrmann | 11.3% | |||
| bgcolor= | FDP | Free Democratic Party | Classical liberalism | Christian Lindner | 8.6% | |||
| bgcolor= | Piraten | Pirate Party Germany | Pirate politics | Michele Marsching | 7.8% | |||
| Polling firm | Fieldwork date | Sample size | SPD | CDU | Grüne | FDP | Piraten | Linke | AfD | Others | Lead | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 state election | data-sort-value="2017-05-14" | 14 May 2017 | – | 31.2 | 33.0 | 6.4 | 12.6 | 1.0 | 4.9 | 7.4 | 3.5 | 1.8 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-05-11" | 8–11 May 2017 | 2,402 | 31 | 32 | 6.5 | 13.5 | – | 6 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 1 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-05-11" | 8–10 May 2017 | 1,017 | 30 | 31 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2017-05-09" | 3–8 May 2017 | 1,139 | 33 | 30 | 7 | 13 | – | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-05-05" | 2–4 May 2017 | 1,032 | 32 | 32 | 7.5 | 12 | – | 6 | 6 | 4.5 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-05-04" | 2–3 May 2017 | 1,000 | 32 | 31 | 7 | 13 | – | 5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2017-04-28" | 20–25 Apr 2017 | 1,003 | 35 | 29 | 6 | 12 | – | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-04-25" | 12–19 Apr 2017 | 1,051 | 36 | 27 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 9 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-04-23" | 18–20 Apr 2017 | 1,003 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 10 | – | 5 | 8 | 3 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2017-04-11" | 30 Mar–4 Apr 2017 | 1,000 | 37 | 28 | 6 | 10 | – | 5 | 10 | 4 | 9 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-03-19" | 14–16 Mar 2017 | 1,001 | 37 | 30 | 6 | 9 | – | 5 | 9 | 4 | 7 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2017-03-15" | 20 Feb–10 Mar 2017 | 1,040 | 40 | 26 | 6 | 11 | – | 5 | 7 | 5 | 14 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2017-03-05" | 22 Feb–3 Mar 2017 | 1,199 | 38 | 27 | 7 | 10 | – | 4 | 11 | 3 | 11 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-02-19" | 14–16 Feb 2017 | 1,002 | 37 | 30 | 7 | 7 | – | 6 | 10 | 3 | 7 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-02-10" | 6–8 Feb 2017 | 1,116 | 36 | 32 | 7 | 8 | – | 5 | 9 | 3 | 4 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-01-27" | 13–20 Jan 2017 | 1,072 | 31 | 31 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 2 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2017-03-15" | 9–20 Jan 2017 | 1,072 | 35 | 29 | 8 | 9 | – | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Emnid | data-sort-value="2017-01-21" | 19 Dec 2016–18 Jan 2017 | 1,070 | 32 | 30 | 10 | 8 | – | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-10-30" | 25–27 Oct 2016 | 1,002 | 32 | 32 | 12 | 7 | – | 5 | 9 | 3 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2016-09-15" | 31 Aug–7 Sep 2016 | 1,022 | 34 | 28 | 10 | 9 | – | 5 | 11 | ? | 6 | |||
| Mentefactum | data-sort-value="2016-09-11" | 30 Aug–6 Sep 2016 | 1,004 | 31 | 27 | 11 | 8 | – | 5 | 13 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-05-22" | 17–20 May 2016 | 1,002 | 31 | 31 | 10 | 8 | – | 6 | 12 | 2 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2016-04-29" | 21–28 Apr 2016 | 1,097 | 29 | 32 | 13 | 7.5 | – | 5.5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-02-21" | 16–18 Feb 2016 | 1,002 | 31 | 33 | 9 | 7 | – | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-12-13" | 8–10 Dec 2015 | 1,000 | 34 | 35 | 10 | 6 | – | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2015-12-02" | 8–27 Nov 2015 | 1,211 | 39 | 29 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 10 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2015-11-26" | 11–19 Nov 2015 | 1,022 | 34 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-09-06" | 1–3 Sep 2015 | 1,001 | 34 | 36 | 11 | 5 | – | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-06-21" | 16–18 Jun 2015 | 1,000 | 36 | 35 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2015-06-02" | 18–28 May 2015 | 1,097 | 36 | 32 | 11 | 9 | – | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2015-05-27" | 21–22 May 2015 | 500 | 34 | 38 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2014-12-18" | 3–10 Dec 2014 | 1,015 | 34 | 35 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-12-07" | 2–4 Dec 2014 | 1,000 | 35 | 36 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2014-11-14" | 3–10 Nov 2014 | 1,082 | 36 | 33 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | ? | 3 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2014-09-02" | 20–29 Aug 2014 | 1,506 | 39 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ? | 7 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2014-05-20" | May 2014 | 1,006 | 39 | 34 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 5 | ? | ? | 5 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-05-11" | 5–8 May 2014 | 1,000 | 37 | 36 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2013-12-11" | 25 Nov–1 Dec 2013 | 1,055 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 4 | ? | 5 | ? | ? | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-12-08" | 3–5 Dec 2013 | 1,000 | 37 | 38 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2013-09-19" | 5–16 Sep 2013 | 1,051 | 38 | 35 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 4 | ? | ? | 3 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-09-07" | 3–5 Sep 2013 | 1,009 | 40 | 36 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-05-26" | 21–23 May 2013 | 1,001 | 39 | 35 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 3 | – | 3 | 4 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2013-04-25" | 12–22 Apr 2013 | 1,104 | 42 | 31 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 3 | – | 4 | 11 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-12-16" | 11–14 Dec 2012 | 1,001 | 40 | 32 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 4 | – | 3 | 8 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2012-09-27" | 4–24 Sep 2012 | 1,020 | 39 | 30 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 4 | – | 4 | 9 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2012-06-13" | 1–11 Jun 2012 | 1,061 | 38 | 29 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 3 | – | ? | 9 | |||
| 2012 state election | data-sort-value="2012-05-13" | 13 May 2012 | – | 39.1 | 26.3 | 11.3 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 2.5 | – | 4.3 | 12.8 |
| Polling firm | Fieldwork date | Lead | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPD | CDU | ||||||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-05-14" | 14 May 2017 | 48 | 37 | 11 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-05-14" | 14 May 2017 | 49 | 38 | 11 | ||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-05-11" | 11 May 2017 | 46 | 38 | 8 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-05-11" | 11 May 2017 | 34 | 21 | 13 | ||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-05-05" | 5 May 2017 | 51 | 33 | 18 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-05-04" | 4 May 2017 | 49 | 28 | 21 | ||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2017-04-28" | 28 April 2017 | 49 | 25 | 24 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-04-25" | 25 April 2017 | 42 | 21 | 21 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-04-23" | 23 April 2017 | 53 | 31 | 22 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-03-19" | 19 March 2017 | 57 | 22 | 35 | ||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2017-03-15" | 15 March 2017 | 55 | 22 | 33 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2017-02-19" | 19 February 2017 | 58 | 26 | 32 | ||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2017-02-10" | 10 February 2017 | 55 | 29 | 26 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2017-01-27" | 27 January 2017 | 46 | 16 | 30 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2016-10-30" | 30 October 2016 | 56 | 20 | 36 | ||
| Mentefactum | data-sort-value="2016-09-11" | 11 September 2016 | 55 | 30 | 25 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-05-22" | 22 May 2016 | 58 | 28 | 30 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-12-13" | 13 December 2015 | 61 | 21 | 40 | ||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2015-12-02" | 2 December 2015 | 63 | 18 | 45 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2015-11-26" | 26 November 2015 | 50 | 15 | 35 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-06-21" | 21 June 2015 | 64 | 17 | 47 | ||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2014-12-18" | 18 December 2014 | 48 | 19 | 29 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-12-07" | 7 December 2014 | 59 | 18 | 41 | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-05-11" | 11 May 2014 | 61 | 18 | 43 |
The CDU became the largest party with 33% of the vote. The governing SPD and Greens suffered a 13-point swing between them, the latter losing half their seats. The FDP achieved their best ever result in the state at 12.6%, and AfD debuted at 7.4%. The Pirates collapsed to just 1% of the vote and were ousted from the Landtag. The Left doubled their vote share to 4.9%, but fell just short of the threshold.