1996 Rhineland-Palatinate state election

The 1996 Rhineland-Palatinate state election was held on 24 March 1996 to elect the members of the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate. The incumbent coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) led by Minister-President Kurt Beck retained its majority and continued in office.

1996 Rhineland-Palatinate state election

← 1991 24 March 1996 2001 →

All 101 seats of the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate
51 seats needed for a majority
Turnout2,064,726 (70.8%)
Decrease 3.1%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Kurt Beck Johannes Gerster
Party SPD CDU
Last election 47 seats, 44.8% 40 seats, 38.7%
Seats won 43 41
Seat change Decrease 4 Increase 1
Popular vote 821,539 798,166
Percentage 39.8% 38.7%
Swing Decrease 5.0% Steady 0.0%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Party FDP Greens
Last election 7 seats, 6.9% 7 seats, 6.5%
Seats won 10 7
Seat change Increase 3 Steady 0
Popular vote 184,426 142,665
Percentage 8.9% 6.9%
Swing Increase 2.0% Increase 0.4%

Results for the single-member constituencies

Minister-President before election

Kurt Beck
SPD

Elected Minister-President

Kurt Beck
SPD

Parties

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The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Name Ideology Leader(s) 1991 result
Votes (%) Seats
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands
Social democracy Kurt Beck 44.8%
47 / 101
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands
Christian democracy Johannes Gerster 38.7%
40 / 101
FDP Free Democratic Party
Freie Demokratische Partei
Classical liberalism Hans-Artur Bauckhage 6.9%
7 / 101
Grüne Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
Green politics 6.5%
7 / 101

Election result

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Summary of the 24 March 1996 election results for the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate
 
Party Votes % +/- Seats +/- Seats %
Social Democratic Party (SPD) 821,539 39.8  5.0 43  4 42.6
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 798,166 38.7  0.0 41  1 40.6
Free Democratic Party (FDP) 184,426 8.9  2.0 10  3 9.9
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) 142,665 6.9  0.4 7  0 6.9
The Republicans (REP) 71,499 3.5  1.4 0 ±0 0
Others 45,431 2.2 0 ±0 0
Total 2,063,726 100.0 101 ±0
Voter turnout 70.8  3.1
Popular Vote
SPD
39.81%
CDU
38.68%
FDP
8.94%
B'90/GRÜNE
6.91%
REP
3.46%
Other
2.20%
Landtag seats
SPD
42.57%
CDU
40.59%
FDP
9.90%
B'90/GRÜNE
6.93%