Bitburg (electoral district) explained

201 Bitburg
Constituency Type:electoral district
Constituency Link:Bitburg (electoral district)
Parl Name:Bundestag
Region Label:State
Region:Rhineland-Palatinate
Population:217,800 (2019)
Electorate:163,493 (2021)
Towns:Wittlich
Bitburg
Daun
Area:3,102.3 km2
Year:1949
Party:CDU
Local Council Label:Member
Local Council:Patrick Schnieder
Blank1 Name:Elected
Blank1 Info:2009, 2013, 2017, 2021

Bitburg is an electoral constituency (German: Wahlkreis) represented in the Bundestag. It elects one member via first-past-the-post voting. Under the current constituency numbering system, it is designated as constituency 201. It is located in northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate, comprising the Bitburg-Prüm district, Vulkaneifel district, and the northern part of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district.[1]

Bitburg was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2009, it has been represented by Patrick Schnieder of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).[2]

Geography

Bitburg is located in northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the Bitburg-Prüm and Vulkaneifel districts as well as, from the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, the municipality of Wittlich, the Verbandsgemeinde of Wittlich-Land, and the municipalities of Bausendorf, Bengel, Diefenbach, Flußbach, Hontheim, Kinderbeuern, Kinheim, Kröv, Reil, and Willwerscheid from the Traben-Trarbach Verbandsgemeinde.[1]

History

Bitburg was created in 1949, then known as Prüm. It acquired its current name in the 1965 election. In the 1949 election, it was Rhineland-Palatinate constituency 6 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1976 elections, it was number 153. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it was number 151. In the 2002 election, it was number 205. In the 2005 election, it was number 204. In the 2009 and 2013 elections, it was number 203. In the 2017 and 2021 elections, it was number 202. From the 2025 election, it has been number 201.

Originally, the constituency comprised the districts of Bitburg, Prüm, Daun, and Wittlich. It acquired its current borders in the 1965 election, although when the former Verbandsgemeinde of Kröv-Bausendorf was merged into the Traben-Trarbach Verbandsgemeinde in 2014, only its area remained in the constituency.

Electionwidth=125pxNamewidth=300pxBorders
1949Prüm
  • Bitburg district
  • Prüm district
  • Daun district
  • Wittlich district
1953153
1957
1961
1965Bitburg
1969
1972
1976
1980151
1983
1987
1990
1994
1998
2002205
2005204
2009203
2013
2017202
2021
2025201

Members

The constituency has been held continuously by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since its creation. It was first represented by Matthias Joseph Mehs from 1949 to 1953, followed by Hans Richarts from 1953 to 1972. Alois Mertes then served from 1972 to 1987. Peter Rauen was representative from 1987 to 2009. Patrick Schnieder was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

ElectionMemberParty%
bgcolor=1949Matthias Joseph MehsCDU80.2
1953Hans RichartsCDU79.6
195779.6
196176.5
196574.9
196968.5
1972Alois MertesCDU66.6
197669.7
198065.2
198369.9
1987Peter RauenCDU60.9
199057.2
199457.1
199852.2
200252.3
200549.0
2009Patrick SchniederCDU46.1
201356.0
201751.2
202137.8

Election results

2009 election

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Constituency Bitburg. Federal Returning Officer.
  2. Web site: Results for Bitburg. Federal Returning Officer.