Kleve (electoral district) explained

111 Kleve
Constituency Type:electoral district
Constituency Link:Kleve (electoral district)
Parl Name:Bundestag
Region Label:State
Region:North Rhine-Westphalia
Population:312,500 (2019)
Electorate:225,463 (2021)
Towns:Kleve
Goch
Geldern
Area:1,233.0 km2
Year:1949
Party:CDU
Local Council Label:Member
Local Council:Stefan Rouenhoff
Blank1 Name:Elected
Blank1 Info:2017, 2021

Kleve 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 111. It is located in western North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the district of Kleve.[1]

Kleve was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2017, it has been represented by Stefan Rouenhoff of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).[2]

Geography

Kleve is located in western North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it is coterminous with the Kleve district.[1]

History

Kleve was created in 1949, then known as Geldern – Kleve. It acquired its current name in the 1965 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 26 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 85. From 1965 through 1976, it was number 83. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 81. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 113. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 112. From the 2025 election, it has been number 111.

Originally, the constituency comprised the districts of Geldern and Kleve. In the 1965 through 1976 elections, it comprised the Geldern and Kleve districts as well as the municipalities of Rheinberg, Xanten, Alpen, and Sonsbeck from the Moers district. Since 1980, it has been coterminous with the Kleve district.

Electionwidth=125pxNamewidth=300pxBorders
1949Geldern – Kleve
  • Geldern district
  • Kleve district
195385
1957
1961
196583Kleve
1969
1972
1976
198081
1983
1987
1990
1994
1998
2002113
2005
2009
2013112
2017
2021
2025111

Members

The constituency has been held continuously by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 1949. It was first represented by Martin Frey from 1949 to 1953, followed by Emil Solke until 1961, Felix von Vittinghoff-Schell until 1969, and Solke again until 1976. Jochen van Aerssen then served from 1976 to 1983. Heinrich Seesing was representative from 1983 to 1994. Ronald Pofalla served from 1949 to 2017. Stefan Rouenhoff has been representative since the 2017 election.

ElectionMemberParty%
bgcolor=1949Martin FreyCDU60.0
1953Emil SolkeCDU73.1
195775.6
1961Felix von Vittinghoff-SchellCDU70.6
196568.2
1969Emil SolkeCDU63.5
197258.7
1976Jochen van AerssenCDU60.3
198055.5
1983Heinrich SeesingCDU60.2
198755.2
199052.5
1994Ronald PofallaCDU50.9
199847.3
200246.1
200550.3
200948.9
201350.9
2017Stefan RouenhoffCDU45.0
202137.6

Election results

2009 election

Notes and References

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