Hesse state election, 1999
- Green: 8
- SPD: 46
- FDP: 6
- CDU: 50
The elections to the 15th Hessian Parliament took place on 7 February 1999. Although research institutes had predicted a victory for the red-green state government as well as a coming forth of the SPD as the strongest party, the CDU could grow significantly with 43.4% compared to 1995 and extend its lead over the SPD. While the latter was able to record some votes profits, caused the major loss of votes for the Greens to the fact that the previous state government lost its majority. The FDP was achieved with 5.1% just jump over the 5 % threshold.
Initial situation
In the previous state election in 1995, the SPD and Greens had losses despite a majority of seats reached, so that the previous Red-Green coalition could be continued with Prime Minister Hans Eichel. Thus, had the incumbent against challenger, the CDU top candidate and Federal Interior Minister Manfred Kanther enforced.
The parliamentary elections on February 19, 1995 was as follows:
Opinion polls before the election predicted a clear confirmation of the red-green coalition. Were Forecasted profits of the SPD and the CDU slight losses.
Top candidates
The SPD joined with Prime Minister Hans Eichel as a top candidate. Rival candidate of the CDU faction leader Roland Koch.
The PDS had decided not to stand for election, and called for the election of red-green. The Greens traditionally went with a double peak in the election campaign. Priska Hinz and Rupert of Plottnitz led to the Greens list. For the FDP Ruth Wagner served as the top candidate.
An incoming parties and candidates
The following parties were nationwide to choose from:
Electioneering
The election campaign was marked in particular by the debate about the CDU / CSU petition campaign against the reform of German citizenship law and thus overlaid by federal political influences (see: Election analysis).
At national political issues, the CDU denounced the cancellation of lessons at Hessian schools and promised to recruit 3,000 new teaching and a teaching warranty. A second focal point was the internal security. Here, by the opposition as to overvalued number of prison breaks was the focus.
Official final result
The parliamentary elections on February 7, 1999 was as follows:
The only slight gains of the SPD were offset by gains of 4.2 % through the CDU. Thus, the CDU and FDP received a very narrow majority. Became new prime minister Roland Koch ( CDU).
Verification
The Verification court at the Hessian State Parliament decided by judgment of 1 July 1999 against the objections to the election and declared the election valid. On 3 March 2000, the voting audit court to take up the scrutiny procedure again decided ( Note: The Verification court is not, as the name suggests, an independent tribunal, but a political body ). The occasion was the CDU funding scandal. From the undeclared funds from the CDU also part of the campaign the CDU had been financed. Basis of the recovery was the rule in Article 78, paragraph 2 of the Hessian constitution, which regulated that make significant against the immoral acts that affect the election results, the election invalid. The Federal Constitutional Court found in its judgment of 8 February 2001, the interpretation clear what the Verification court had to stop the process. The state Court of Hesse confirmed the legality of this setting by judgment of 13 February 2002.
Choice analysis
The result of the elections was primarily due dimap after analysis of infrasound test on federal policy issues. Infra test writes " The population was mostly satisfied with the economic situation and their own financial situation, she gave the SPD in government high marks and enrolled her in key policy areas the greatest competence. "
According to the exit poll by Infratest the subject dual citizenship was either crucial: Almost every second CDU voters and 60 percent of those who have moved from another party to the CDU, said that they have selected the Union because of this, especially as the CDU their signature campaign was carried out in the campaigning period. Infra test found that the election was marked by the known pattern that the government parties suffered in league defeats in state elections. What was unusual in Hesse that were each small parties Greens and FDP, suffered the losses.
Consequences
Hesse
Roland Koch was first elected on 7 April 1999 as prime minister of Hesse. He was a black-yellow government before (Cabinet cooking I). The newly formed CDU - FDP government continued, particularly in the education policy (recruitment of 3000 teachers in the classroom warranty ), transport policy ( Congestion Free Hessen) and domestic policy ( stricter prison, reinforcing the police) new trends in the Hessian domestic policy.
About Hesse addition
The election result was widely interpreted as a lesson for the federal government Schröder. In particular, the attempt by the federal government to introduce dual citizenship, was rated as the cause for the change in Hesse. The red- green government had to forgo the enforcement of its proposal and adopted a significantly weaker version (the so-called option model).
As a direct result of the election results in Hesse, Hans Eichel became effective on April 12, the successor to the resigning in March Oskar Lafontaine as finance minister in the federal government with Gerhard Schröder as chancellor.
With the election in Hesse, the majority situation changed in the Bundesrat. There, the countries have 69 votes. Before the election, the countries with SPD - party government (13 votes) and red-green, however, were (18 votes) Although in the minority, together with the SPD / PDS -governed Länder ( 7 votes) allowed, the parties to the federal government a majority. This was offset by 21 votes of the opposition-run countries. 12 votes were cast on coalitions between FDP and CDU and SPD. After the election in Hesse alternated five votes to the camp of the opposition led. Without the consent of at least one state with FDP or CDU government involvement no majority in the Bundesrat longer possible.