Siegen-Wittgenstein (electoral district) explained

147 Siegen-Wittgenstein
Constituency Type:electoral district
Constituency Link:Siegen-Wittgenstein (electoral district)
Parl Name:Bundestag
Region Label:State
Region:North Rhine-Westphalia
Population:276,900 (2019)
Electorate:207,672 (2021)
Towns:Siegen
Kreuztal
Netphen
Area:1,132.9 km2
Year:1949
Party:CDU
Local Council Label:Member
Local Council:Volkmar Klein
Blank1 Name:Elected
Blank1 Info:2009, 2013, 2017, 2021

Siegen-Wittgenstein 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 147. It is located in southern North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein.[1]

Siegen-Wittgenstein was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2009, it has been represented by Volkmar Klein of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).[2]

Geography

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

History

Siegen-Wittgenstein was created in 1949, then known as Siegen-Stadt und -Land – Wittgenstein. From 1965 through 1976, it was named Siegen – Wittgenstein. From 1980 through 1998, it was named Siegen-Wittgenstein I. It acquired its current name in the 2002 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 66 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1976 elections, it was number 125. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 120. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 149. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 148. From the 2025 election, it has been number 147.

Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Siegen as well as the districts of Landkreis Siegen and Wittgenstein. In the 1969 and 1972 elections, it comprised the districts of Siegen and Wittgenstein. In the 1976 election, it was coterminous with the Siegen-Wittgenstein district. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it comprised the Siegen-Wittgenstein district without the municipalities of Freudenberg, Hilchenbach, and Kreuztal. Since the 2002 election, it has again been coterminous with the Siegen-Wittgenstein district.

Electionwidth=125pxNamewidth=300pxBorders
1949Siegen-Stadt und -Land – Wittgenstein
  • Siegen city
  • Landkreis Siegen district
  • Wittgenstein district
1953125
1957
1961
1965Siegen – Wittgenstein
1969
  • Siegen district
  • Wittgenstein district
1972
1976
1980120Siegen-Wittgenstein I
1983
1987
1990
1994
1998
2002149Siegen-Wittgenstein
2005
2009
2013148
2017
2021
2025147

Members

The constituency was first represented by Theodor Siebel of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1949 to 1961. Hermann Schmidt of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1961 and served a single term, before Botho Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein regained it for the CDU in 1965. Schmidt was once again elected in 1969 and served four further terms as representative. Paul Breuer of the CDU was elected in 1983 and served until 1998. Marianne Klappert gained the constituency for the SPD in the 1998 election, and was succeeded in 2002 by fellow party member Willi Brase. Volkmar Klein of the CDU was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

ElectionMemberParty%
1949Theodor SiebelCDU38.0
195346.2
195751.4
bgcolor=1961Hermann SchmidtSPD41.6
bgcolor=1965Botho Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-HohensteinCDU46.2
1969Hermann SchmidtSPD49.7
197254.0
197648.4
198049.5
1983Paul BreuerCDU50.6
198745.8
199045.6
199444.1
bgcolor=1998Marianne KlappertSPD46.4
2002Willi BraseSPD44.3
200543.6
2009Volkmar KleinCDU41.5
201345.8
201740.1
202133.6

Election results

2009 election

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Constituency Siegen-Wittgenstein. Federal Returning Officer.
  2. Web site: Results for Siegen-Wittgenstein. Federal Returning Officer.