Kiel 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 5. It is located in central Schleswig-Holstein, comprising the city of Kiel.
Kiel was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2017 to 2025, it was represented by Mathias Stein of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Luise Amtsberg of Alliance 90/The Greens.
Geography Kiel is located in central Schleswig-Holstein. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the urban district of Kiel, as well as the municipalities of Altenholz and Kronshagen from the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district.
History Kiel was created in 1949. Until 1972, it was constituency 6 in the numbering system. In the 1949 and 1953 elections, it covered the entirety of the city of Kiel with the exception of voting districts 23 and 26–42. In the 1957 and 1961 elections, it did not contain the city districts of Wik and Ravensberg, which were part of the Rendsburg constituency. From 1965 to 1972, it did not include the city districts of Friedrichsort, Holtenau, Pries and Schilksee, which were part of the Schleswig - Eckernförde constituency.
From 1976 to 2002, Kiel was coterminous with the city of Kiel. For the 2002 election, the municipalities of Altenholz and Kronshagen were transferred from the Rendsburg-Eckernförde constituency to Kiel.
Election Name Borders 1949 6 Kiel Kiel city (excluding voting districts 23 and 26–42) 1953 1957 Kiel city (excluding Wik and Ravensberg) 1961 1965 Kiel city (excluding Friedrichsort, Holtenau, Pries, and Schilksee) 1969 1972 5 1976 Kiel city 1980 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 Kiel city Rendsburg-Eckernförde district (only Altenholz and Kronshagen municipalities) 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Members The constituency has been held by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during all but three Bundestag terms since 1949; it has returned a representative from the SPD in every federal election since 1961. Its first representative was Walter Brookmann of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1949–57, followed by Hans-Carl Rüdel, also from the CDU. It was won by the SPD in 1961, and represented by Fritz Baade for a single term. He was succeeded by Hans Müthling, who served until 1972. Between then and 1998, it was represented by Norbert Gansel. Gansel left the Bundestag to become mayor of Kiel, and Hans-Peter Bartels was elected as representative in the 1998 federal election, and served until 2017, when he was succeeded by Mathias Stein.
Election Member Party % 1949 Walter Brookmann CDU 52.9 1953 55.6 1957 Hans-Carl Rüdel CDU 50.0 1961 Fritz Baade SPD 47.0 1965 Hans Müthling SPD 49.0 1969 54.6 1972 Norbert Gansel SPD 59.4 1976 57.2 1980 58.3 1983 53.9 1987 53.0 1990 51.0 1994 52.7 1998 Hans-Peter Bartels SPD 54.9 2002 53.7 2005 50.7 2009 38.3 2013 43.0 2017Mathias SteinSPD 31.0 2021 29.5 2025 Luise Amtsberg Green 26.0
Election results
2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References