| Election Name: | 2016 Rhineland-Palatinate state election |
| Country: | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Rhineland-Palatinate state election |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2021 Rhineland-Palatinate state election |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
| Seats For Election: | All 101 seats in the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Majority Seats: | 51 |
| Election Date: | 13 March 2016 |
| Turnout: | 2,130,621 (70.4%) 8.6% |
| Leader1: | Malu Dreyer |
| Party1: | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Last Election1: | 42 seats, 35.7% |
| Seats1: | 39 |
| Seat Change1: | 3 |
| Popular Vote1: | 771,848 |
| Percentage1: | 36.2% |
| Swing1: | 0.5% |
| Leader2: | Julia Klöckner |
| Party2: | Christian Democratic Union of Germany |
| Last Election2: | 41 seats, 35.2% |
| Seats2: | 35 |
| Seat Change2: | 6 |
| Popular Vote2: | 677,507 |
| Percentage2: | 31.8% |
| Swing2: | 3.4% |
| Leader3: | Uwe Junge |
| Party3: | Alternative for Germany |
| Last Election3: | Did not exist |
| Seats3: | 14 |
| Seat Change3: | 14 |
| Popular Vote3: | 268,628 |
| Percentage3: | 12.6% |
| Swing3: | New party |
| Leader4: | Volker Wissing |
| Party4: | Free Democratic Party (Germany) |
| Last Election4: | 0 seats, 4.2% |
| Seats4: | 7 |
| Seat Change4: | 7 |
| Popular Vote4: | 132,294 |
| Percentage4: | 6.2% |
| Swing4: | 2.0% |
| Leader5: | Eveline Lemke |
| Party5: | Alliance 90/The Greens |
| Last Election5: | 18 seats, 15.4% |
| Seats5: | 6 |
| Seat Change5: | 12 |
| Popular Vote5: | 113,261 |
| Percentage5: | 5.3% |
| Swing5: | 10.1% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Minister-President | |
| Before Election: | Malu Dreyer |
| Before Party: | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| After Election: | Malu Dreyer |
| After Party: | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
The 2016 Rhineland-Palatinate state election was held on 13 March 2016 to elect the members of the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was held on the same day as the Baden-Württemberg state election and Saxony-Anhalt state election. The incumbent coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Greens led by Minister-President Malu Dreyer was defeated. The SPD remained the largest party, and formed a "traffic light coalition" with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and The Greens. Dreyer was subsequently re-elected as Minister-President.[1]
The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate.
| Name | Ideology | Leader(s) | 2011 result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | |||||||
| bgcolor= | SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany | Social democracy | Malu Dreyer | 35.7% | |||
| bgcolor= | CDU | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | Christian democracy | Julia Klöckner | 35.2% | |||
| bgcolor= | Grüne | Alliance 90/The Greens | Green politics | Eveline Lemke | 15.4% | |||
| Polling firm | Fieldwork date | Sample size | SPD | CDU | Grüne | FDP | Linke | Piraten | AfD | Others | Lead | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 state election | data-sort-value="2016-03-13" | 13 Mar 2016 | – | 36.2 | 31.8 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 12.6 | 4.2 | 4.4 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2016-03-10" | 7–10 Mar 2016 | 1,693 | 36 | 35 | 5.5 | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | 4.5 | 1 | |||
| YouGov | data-sort-value="2016-03-10" | 2–9 Mar 2016 | 1,003 | 35 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 4 | – | 11 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Forsa | data-sort-value="2016-03-09" | 2–8 Mar 2016 | 1,002 | 35 | 35 | 6 | 6 | 4 | – | 9 | 5 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2016-03-07" | 1–5 Mar 2016 | 1,000 | 35 | 35 | 7 | 5 | 3 | – | 9 | 6 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2016-03-04" | 29 Feb–3 Mar 2016 | 1,011 | 34 | 35 | 6 | 6 | 4 | – | 10 | 5 | 1 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-03-03" | 1–2 Mar 2016 | 1,004 | 34 | 36 | 7 | 5 | 4 | – | 9 | 5 | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-03-01" | 24–27 Feb 2016 | 1,000 | 32 | 36 | 8 | 6 | 4 | – | 9 | 5 | 4 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2016-02-28" | 25–27 Feb 2016 | 1,001 | 32.5 | 35 | 10 | 6 | 4 | – | 8.5 | 4 | 2.5 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2016-02-22" | 19–20 Feb 2016 | 1,032 | 33 | 35 | 9 | 7 | 4 | – | 8.5 | 3.5 | 2 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2016-02-25" | 12–20 Feb 2016 | 1,002 | 33 | 37 | 8 | 5 | 3 | – | 9 | 5 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-02-11" | 4–9 Feb 2016 | 1,000 | 31 | 37 | 8 | 6 | 4 | – | 9 | 5 | 6 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2016-02-05" | 26 Jan–1 Feb 2016 | 1,000 | 32 | 36 | 10 | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | 5 | 4 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2016-01-22" | 19–21 Jan 2016 | 1,034 | 31 | 38 | 7 | 5 | 5 | – | 9 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2016-01-14" | 6–11 Jan 2016 | 1,001 | 31 | 37 | 9 | 5 | 5 | – | 8 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-12-10" | 3–7 Dec 2015 | 1,000 | 31 | 39 | 9 | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | 4 | 8 | |||
| INSA | data-sort-value="2015-11-25" | 17–24 Nov 2015 | 1,003 | 31.0 | 38.5 | 11.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | – | 7.0 | 4.5 | 7.5 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2015-11-19" | 6–16 Nov 2015 | 1,002 | 33 | 40 | 9 | 5 | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Forschungsgruppe Wahlen | data-sort-value="2015-11-06" | 2–4 Nov 2015 | 1,093 | 30 | 41 | 8 | 4 | 5 | – | 6 | 6 | 11 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-09-24" | 17–21 Sep 2015 | 1,005 | 31 | 41 | 10 | 5 | 5 | – | 4 | 4 | 10 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-07-23" | 17–21 Jul 2015 | 1,001 | 33 | 42 | 10 | 4 | 3 | – | 3 | 5 | 9 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2015-06-26" | 12–22 Jun 2015 | 1,003 | 33 | 40 | 11 | 4 | 3 | – | 4 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2015-02-19" | 11–15 Feb 2015 | 1,000 | 32 | 42 | 11 | 3 | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | 10 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2014-12-17" | 5–15 Dec 2014 | 1,002 | 30 | 43 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-11-13" | 7–10 Nov 2014 | 1,000 | 31 | 43 | 11 | 2 | 4 | – | 5 | 4 | 12 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-09-25" | 19–22 Sep 2014 | 1,000 | 31 | 43 | 10 | 2 | 4 | – | 6 | 4 | 12 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2014-06-24" | 13–21 Jun 2014 | 1,002 | 32 | 41 | 10 | 3 | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | 9 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-05-08" | 2–5 May 2014 | 1,001 | 31 | 41 | 11 | 3 | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | 10 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2014-04-03" | 28–31 Mar 2014 | 1,000 | 33 | 41 | 11 | 3 | 4 | – | 3 | 5 | 8 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-12-12" | 9–10 Dec 2013 | 1,000 | 35 | 40 | 9 | 4 | 4 | – | 4 | 4 | 5 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2013-12-11" | 29 Nov–6 Dec 2013 | 1,005 | 32 | 43 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-09-05" | 29 Aug–2 Sep 2013 | 1,000 | 34 | 43 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2013-05-16" | 3–13 May 2013 | 1,003 | 35 | 39 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-04-25" | 18–21 Apr 2013 | 1,000 | 34 | 43 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2013-01-17" | 11–14 Jan 2013 | 1,000 | 33 | 43 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 3 | 10 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2013-01-16" | 7–12 Jan 2013 | 2,007 | 35 | 40 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 4 | – | 5 | 5 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2012-10-17" | 8–13 Oct 2012 | 1,004 | 36 | 36 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 3 | – | ? | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-10-11" | 8–9 Oct 2012 | 1,000 | 36 | 40 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | – | 4 | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-08-30" | 24–27 Aug 2012 | 1,000 | 32 | 39 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 | – | 4 | 7 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-07-26" | 23–24 Jul 2012 | 1,003 | 31 | 37 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 5 | – | 5 | 6 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2012-06-27" | 16–22 Jun 2012 | 1,005 | 37 | 35 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 5 | – | 3 | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-05-10" | 4–7 May 2012 | 1,000 | 36 | 36 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | – | 2 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2012-03-29" | 23–27 Mar 2012 | 1,000 | 36 | 37 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 5 | – | 2 | 1 | |||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2012-03-20" | 12–17 Mar 2012 | 1,003 | 36 | 36 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 4 | – | ? | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2011-12-15" | 1–9 Dec 2011 | 1,003 | 37 | 35 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 4 | – | ? | 2 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2011-12-08" | 2–5 Dec 2011 | 1,000 | 37 | 37 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 4 | – | 2 | data-sort-value="0" | Tie | ||
| GESS Phone & Field | data-sort-value="2011-09-30" | 16–22 Sep 2011 | 1,004 | 38 | 34 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 3 | – | ? | 4 | |||
| Infratest dimap | data-sort-value="2011-09-22" | 19–20 Sep 2011 | 1,000 | 39 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 3 | 5 | |||
| Psephos | data-sort-value="2011-06-22" | 14–17 Jun 2011 | 1,004 | 34 | 38 | 15 | 3 | 3 | – | – | 7 | 4 | |||
| 2011 state election | data-sort-value="2011-03-27" | 27 Mar 2011 | – | 35.7 | 35.2 | 15.4 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 1.6 | – | 4.8 | 0.5 |
< 2011 2021 >|-|colspan=7| |-!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left colspan="2" rowspan="2" width=400 |Party!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center colspan="3" |Popular vote!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center colspan="3" |Seats|-!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right width=60|Votes!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right width=40|%!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right width=50|+/–!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right width=30|Seats!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right width=30|+/–|-
|
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands – SPD|| 771,848 || 36.2 || 0.5 || 39 || 3|-|
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands – CDU|| 677,507 || 31.8 || 3.4 || 35 || 6|-|
Alternative für Deutschland – AfD|| 268,628 || 12.6 || 12.6 || 14 || 14|-|
Freie Demokratische Partei – FDP|| 132,294 || 6.2 || 2.0 || 7 || 7|-|
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen|| 113,261 || 5.3 || 10.1 || 6 || 12|-|
Die Linke|| 59,970 || 2.8 || 0.2 || – || –|-| || align=left | Free Voters Rhineland-Palatinate
Freie Wähler|| 47,924 || 2.2 || 0.1 || – || –|-|
Piratenpartei|| 16,708 || 0.8 || 0.8 || – || –|-|
Allianz für Fortschritt und Aufbruch – ALFA|| 13,154 || 0.6 || 0.6 || – || –|-|
Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands – NPD|| 10,565 || 0.5 || 0.6 || – || –|-|
Ökologisch-Demokratische Partei – ÖDP|| 8,623 || 0.4 || || – || –|-|
Die Republikaner – REP|| 5,090 || 0.2 || || – || –|-| || align=left |
Die Einheit|| 3,105 || 0.1 || 0.1 || – || –|-| || align=left | The Third Way
Der III. Weg|| 1,944 || 0.1 || 0.1 || – || –|-| bgcolor="white"| || align=left |Other parties|| – || – || – || – || –|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| align="right" colspan="2" | Valid votes| 2,130,621| 98.6| 0.7| colspan=2 rowspan=2 color=#BAB9B9||- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| align="right" colspan="2" | Invalid votes| 30,885| 1.4| 0.7|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| align="right" colspan="2" | Totals and voter turnout| 2,161,506 | 70.4 | 8.6| 101 | – |- style="background-color:#BAB9B9"| colspan="2" | Electorate| 3,071,972| 100.0| —| colspan=2||-| colspan=11 align=left | Source: Landeswahlleiter[2] |}