2018 Hessian state election

{{Short description|none}} {{Expand German|topic=gov|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox election | election_name = 2018 Hesse state election | country = Hesse | type = parliamentary | ongoing = no | previous_election = 2013 Hessian state election | previous_year = 2013 | next_election = 2023 Hessian state election | next_year = 2023 | seats_for_election = All 137 seats of the [[Landtag of Hesse]], including 27 [[Overhang seat|overhang]] and [[Leveling seat|leveling]] seats | majority_seats = 69 | election_date = 28 October 2018 | turnout = 2,881,261 (67.3%) {{Decrease}} 5.9%

| image1 = [[File:MJK00898 Volker Bouffier.jpg|160x160px]] | leader1 = [[Volker Bouffier]] | party1 = Christian Democratic Union (Germany) | last_election1 = 47 seats, 38.3% | seats1 = 40 | seat_change1 = {{decrease}} 7 | popular_vote1 = 776,910 | percentage1 = 27.0% | swing1 = {{decrease}} 11.3%

| image2 = [[File:2016-02-04 Tarek Al-Wazir - MdL Hessen - 3647-2.jpg|80x80px]] [[File:2016-02-04 Priska Hinz - Staatsministerin im Umweltministerium Hessen - 3535-2.jpg|80x80px]] | leader2 = [[Tarek Al-Wazir]] [[Priska Hinz]] | party2 = Alliance 90/The Greens | last_election2 = 14 seats, 11.1% | seats2 = 29 | seat_change2 = {{increase}} 15 | popular_vote2 = 570,512 | percentage2 = 19.8% | swing2 = {{increase}} 8.7%

| image3 = [[File:MJK00857 Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel.jpg|160x160px]] | leader3 = [[Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel]] | party3 = Social Democratic Party of Germany | last_election3 = 37 seats, 30.7% | seats3 = 29 | seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 8 | popular_vote3 = 570,446 | percentage3 = 19.8% | swing3 = {{decrease}} 10.9%

| image4 = [[File:MJK 43801 Rainer Rahn (Hessischer Landtag 2019).jpg|160x160px]] | leader4 = [[Rainer Rahn]] | party4 = Alternative for Germany | last_election4 = 0 seats, 4.1% | seats4 = 19 | seat_change4 = {{increase}} 19 | popular_vote4 = 378,692 | percentage4 = 13.1% | swing4 = {{increase}} 9.0%

| image5 = [[File:René Rock (MdL Hessen 2014-01-18).jpg|160x160px]] | leader5 = [[René Rock]] | party5 = Free Democratic Party (Germany) | last_election5 = 6 seats, 5.0% | seats5 = 11 | seat_change5 = {{increase}} 5 | popular_vote5 = 215,946 | percentage5 = 7.5% | swing5 = {{increase}} 2.5%

| image6 = [[File:2018-06-09 Bundesparteitag Die Linke 2018 in Leipzig by Sandro Halank–132.jpg|80x80px]] [[File:MJK 44063 Jan Schalauske (Hessischer Landtag 2019).jpg|80x80px]] | leader6 = [[Janine Wissler]] [[Jan Schalauske]] | party6 = The Left (Germany) | last_election6 = 6 seats, 5.2% | seats6 = 9 | seat_change6 = {{increase}} 3 | popular_vote6 = 181,263 | percentage6 = 6.3% | swing6 = {{increase}} 1.1%

| title = Government | before_election = [[Second Bouffier cabinet]] | before_party = [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]–[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Green]] | after_election = [[Third Bouffier cabinet]] | posttitle = Government after election | after_party = [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]–[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Green]] | map_image = File:Hesse State Election 2018.svg | map_caption = Map of the election, showing the winner of each single-member district and the distribution of list seats. }} The '''2018 Hessian state election''' was held on 28 October 2018 to elect the members of the [[Landtag of Hesse]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wahlrecht.de/termine.htm#termine-2018-01-23|title=Wahltermine in Deutschland (2021, 2022 usw.)}}</ref> The outgoing government was a coalition of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) and [[Alliance 90/The Greens|The Greens]] led by [[List of Ministers-President of Hesse|Minister-President]] [[Volker Bouffier]].

The election was held two weeks after the [[2018 Bavarian state election]], which saw the CSU and [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) suffer major losses, with third parties making major gains. The result in Hesse was largely similar, with the CDU and SPD losing more than 20 percentage points between them, while the Greens and [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) gained approximately 9 points each. The [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) and [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] also made gains. Compared to the [[2013 Hessian state election|2013 election]] turnout fell by 5.9 points to 67.3%.<ref name="result">https://statistik-hessen.de/l_2018/html/landesergebnis {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618234658/https://statistik-hessen.de/l_2018/html/landesergebnis |date=2019-06-18 }} Official result</ref>

Despite suffering the worst losses of any party, the CDU remained the largest party by a comfortable margin. The Greens and SPD each won 29 seats and 19.8% of the vote; the Greens moved into second place by an extremely narrow margin of just 66 votes. The AfD, which failed to win seats in 2013, won 13.1% and 19 seats. By entering the Landtag in Hesse, it became the only third party present in all sixteen [[Composition of the German state parliaments|state parliaments]].

The election was influenced by the poor condition of the federal government in the aftermath of the "[[2018 German government crisis|asylum quarrel]]" in June/July and the crisis around [[Hans-Georg Maaßen]] in September.<ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/wahl-in-hessen/was-die-hessenwahl-fuer-die-bundespolitik-bedeutet-15860320.html Was die Hessenwahl für die Bundespolitik bedeutet], Frankfurter Allgemeine, 28 October 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/wahl-in-hessen/wahl-in-hessen-muessen-merkel-und-nahles-danach-gehen-15858991.html Schicksalswahl für Merkels Koalition], Frankfurter Allgemeine, 26 October 2018</ref> One day after the election, federal Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] announced that she would not seek re-election as CDU leader at the party convention in early December, nor seek her party's nomination as Chancellor candidate for the next federal election.<ref>[https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2018-10/cdu-angela-merkel-bietet-verzicht-auf-parteivorsitz-an Angela Merkel bietet Verzicht auf Parteivorsitz an], Die Zeit, 29 October 2018</ref>

The incumbent CDU–Green government was returned with a slim majority of one seat, and was subsequently renewed.

== Background == The incumbent Hesse government coalition consisted of CDU and the Greens.

The regional election for Hesse, along with the [[2018 Bavarian state election|Bavarian state election]] held just two weeks before, was widely seen as a test for the ruling [[CDU/CSU]] and [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] coalition of [[Fourth Merkel cabinet|Angela Merkel's fourth federal cabinet]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45988854|title=Hesse election: Merkel facing double trouble in German vote|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=26 October 2018|accessdate=28 October 2018}}</ref>

==Parties== The table below lists parties represented in the previous Landtag of Hesse. {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan=2 colspan=3| Name ! rowspan=2| Ideology ! rowspan=2| Leader(s) ! colspan=2| 2013 result |- ! Votes (%) ! Seats |- | bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}} | | align=center| '''CDU''' | [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany]] {{small|''Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands''}} | [[Christian democracy]] | [[Volker Bouffier]] | align=center| 38.3% | {{Composition bar|47|110|{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}} | | align=center| '''SPD''' | [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] {{small|''Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands''}} | [[Social democracy]] | [[Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel]] | align=center| 30.7% | {{Composition bar|37|110|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}} | | align=center| '''Grüne''' | [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] {{small|''Bündnis 90/Die Grünen''}} | [[Green politics]] | [[Tarek Al-Wazir]] Priska Hinz | align=center| 11.1% | {{Composition bar|14|110|{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}} | | align=center| '''Linke''' | [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] {{small|''Die Linke''}} | [[Democratic socialism]] | [[Janine Wissler]] [[Jan Schalauske]] | align=center| 5.2% | {{Composition bar|6|110|{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}} | | align=center| '''FDP''' | [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] {{small|''Freie Demokratische Partei''}} | [[Classical liberalism]] | [[René Rock]] | align=center| 5.0% | {{Composition bar|6|110|{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}}} |}

==Opinion polling== {{Chart|definition=Opinion polling for the 2018 Hessian state election.chart|data=Opinion polling for the 2018 Hessian state election.tab|Width=600}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;" |- style="height:40px;" ! style="width:160px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm ! style="width:135px;" rowspan="2"| Fieldwork date ! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| Sample size ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Grüne]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[The Left (Germany)|Linke]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Alternative for Germany|AfD]] ! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others ! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Lead |- ! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}};"| ! style="background:{{party color|Alternative for Germany}};"| |- style="background:#E9E9E9;" | [[2018 Hessian state election#top|2018 state election]] | data-sort-value="2018-10-28"| 28 Oct 2018 | – | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''27.0''' | 19.8 | 19.8 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 13.1 | 6.5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7.2 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-10-25"| 24–25 Oct 2018 | 1,025 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''28''' | 20 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 8 |- | [https://www.hna.de/politik/umfrage-landtagswahl-hessen-civey-ergebnisse-koalitionen-onl-10366883.html Civey] | data-sort-value="2018-10-24"| 18–24 Oct 2018 | 4,467 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''27.0''' | 22.0 | 18.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 13.0 | 4.0 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5.0 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm INSA] | data-sort-value="2018-10-22"| 18–22 Oct 2018 | 1,004 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''26''' | 21 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2018-10-17"| 16–17 Oct 2018 | 1,002 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''26''' | 21 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-10-17"| 15–17 Oct 2018 | 1,035 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''26''' | 20 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 4 |- | [https://www.hna.de/politik/umfrage-hessen-landtagswahl-sonntagsfrage-10323478.html Civey] | data-sort-value="2018-10-12"| 2–12 Oct 2018 | 4,549 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''28.5''' | 24.9 | 18.2 | 7.5 | 5.6 | 11.8 | 3.5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 3.6 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-10-01"| 24 Sep–1 Oct 2018 | 1,038 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''29''' | 23 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 3 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6 |- | [https://www.hna.de/politik/umfrage-civey-in-hessen-koalition-verliert-mehrheit-onl-10281201.html Civey] | data-sort-value="2018-09-26"| 19–26 Sep 2018 | 4,509 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''28.6''' | 23.0 | 15.8 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 12.4 | 3.8 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5.6 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-09-19"| 17–19 Sep 2018 | 1,039 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''32''' | 25 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 3 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2018-09-19"| 13–19 Sep 2018 | 1,000 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''28''' | 23 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 3 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm INSA] | data-sort-value="2018-09-06"| 3–6 Sep 2018 | 1,039 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''29''' | 24 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [https://www.hna.de/politik/landtagswahl-hessen-hna-umfrage-civey-keine-mehrheit-regierung-schwarz-gruen-10185911.html Civey] | data-sort-value="2018-08-30"| 14–30 Aug 2018 | 4,532 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31.1''' | 23.9 | 13.4 | 7.9 | 7.1 | 12.7 | 3.9 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7.2 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2018-06-19"| 14–19 Jun 2018 | 1,003 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31''' | 22 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-06-11"| 4–11 Jun 2018 | 1,049 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31''' | 25 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm INSA] | data-sort-value="2018-05-16"| 9–16 May 2018 | 1,067 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''33''' | 24 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forschungsgruppe Wahlen] | data-sort-value="2018-03-21"| 19–21 Mar 2018 | 1,011 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31''' | 26 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Allensbach] | data-sort-value="2018-01-31"| 19 Dec 2017–31 Jan 2018 | 760 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31''' | 26 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 11 |? | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forsa] | data-sort-value="2018-02-22"| 8–22 Feb 2018 | 1,035 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''33''' | 23 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2018-01-16"| 9–16 Jan 2018 | 1,006 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''31''' | 25 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 3 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6 |- style="background:#E5E5F5;font-style:italic;" | [[2017 German federal election|2017 federal election]] | data-sort-value="2017-09-24"| 24 Sep 2017 | – | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''30.9''' | 23.5 | 9.7 | 8.1 | 11.5 | 11.9 | 4.4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7.3 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2017-01-10"| 5–10 Jan 2017 | 1,003 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''32''' | 24 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 8 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm dimap] | data-sort-value="2016-08-22"| 15–22 Aug 2016 | 1,000 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''36''' | 27 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 9 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forsa] | data-sort-value="2016-04-08"| 1–8 Apr 2016 | 1,004 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''33''' | 27 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 6 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Infratest dimap] | data-sort-value="2016-01-16"| 12–16 Jan 2016 | 1,000 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''34''' | 26 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 8 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forsa] | data-sort-value="2015-08-26"| 17–26 Aug 2015 | 1,009 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''38''' | 28 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm dimap] | data-sort-value="2015-07-13"| 6–13 Jul 2015 | 1,003 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''41''' | 27 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 14 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm dimap] | data-sort-value="2014-12-14"| 10–14 Dec 2014 | 1,000 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''38''' | 27 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 11 |- style="background:#F5F5E5;font-style:italic;" | [[2014 European Parliament election in Germany|2014 European election]] | data-sort-value="2014-05-25"| 25 May 2014 | – | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''30.6''' | 30.3 | 12.9 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 9.1 | 7.3 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 0.3 |- | [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Forsa] | data-sort-value="2014-02-27"| 18–27 Feb 2014 | 1,002 | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''39''' | 27 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 12 |- style="background:#E5E5F5;font-style:italic;" | [[2013 German federal election|2013 federal election]] | data-sort-value="2013-09-22"| 22 Sep 2013 | – | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''39.2''' | 28.8 | 9.9 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 4.9 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 10.4 |- style="background:#E9E9E9;" | [[2013 Hessian state election|2013 state election]] | data-sort-value="2013-09-22"| 22 Sep 2013 | – | style="background:#D7D5D7;"| '''38.3''' | 30.7 | 11.1 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 5.6 | style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 7.6 |}

==Election result== [[File:2018 Hessian Landtag.svg|thumb|Following 2018 Hessian election]] {{Election table | title=Summary of the 28 October 2018 election results for the [[Landtag of Hesse]]|sortable=yes }} |- ! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Party ! colspan=3| Constituency ! colspan=4| Party list ! rowspan=2| Total seats ! rowspan=2| +/- |- ! Votes ! % ! Seats ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats |- | bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| | align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] | 843,068 | 29.34 | 40 | 776,910 | 26.96 | -11.35 | 0 | 40 | {{decrease}} 7 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| | align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] | 517,904 | 18.03 | 5 | 570,512 | 19.80 | +8.66 | 24 | 29 | {{increase}} 15 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| | align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] | 670,637 | 23.34 | 10 | 570,446 | 19.80 | -10.93 | 19 | 29 | {{decrease}} 8 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| | align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] | 362,210 | 12.61 | 0 | 378,692 | 13.14 | +9.09 | 19 | 19 | {{increase}} 19 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| | align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] | 205,384 | 7.15 | 0 | 215,946 | 7.49 | +2.47 | 11 | 11 | {{increase}} 5 |- | bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| | align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] | 164,535 | 5.73 | 0 | 181,332 | 6.29 | +1.14 | 9 | 9 | {{increase}} 3 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| | align=left| [[Free Voters]] | 88,122 | 3.07 | 0 | 85,465 | 2.97 | +1.74 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Human Environment Animal Protection Party}}| | align=left| [[Human Environment Animal Protection Party]] | 471 | 0.02 | 0 | 28,095 | 0.98 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| | align=left| [[Die PARTEI]] | 12,007 | 0.42 | 0 | 18,334 | 0.64 | +0.15 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Pirate Party Germany}}| | align=left| [[Pirate Party Germany|Pirate Party]] | 3,818 | 0.13 | 0 | 11,617 | 0.40 | -1.52 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Ecological Democratic Party}}| | align=left| [[Ecological Democratic Party]] | 3,232 | 0.11 | 0 | 7,539 | 0.26 | +0.13 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | bgcolor={{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}| | align=left| [[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]] | colspan=3| – | 6,173 | 0.21 | -0.85 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | | align=left| Grey Panthers | colspan=3| – | 4,870 | 0.17 | +0.09 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | bgcolor={{party color|Alliance C – Christians for Germany}}| | align=left| [[Alliance C – Christians for Germany]] | colspan=3| – | 3,789 | 0.13 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Party for Biomedical Rejuvenation Research}}| | align=left| [[Party for Biomedical Rejuvenation Research|Party for Health Research]] | colspan=3| – | 3,572 | 0.12 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|V-Partei3}}| | align=left| [[V-Partei3|V-Partei3]] | 145 | 0.01 | 0 | 3,553 | 0.12 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Basic Income Alliance}}| | align=left| [[Basic Income Alliance]] | colspan=3| – | 3,031 | 0.11 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Alliance of German Democrats}}| | align=left| [[Alliance of German Democrats]] | colspan=3| – | 2,971 | 0.10 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Party of Humanists}}| | align=left| [[Party of Humanists]] | colspan=3| – | 2,646 | 0.09 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|The Violets (political party)}}| | align=left| [[The Violets (political party)|The Violets]] | 373 | 0.01 | 0 | 2,403 | 0.08 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | | align=left| Human World | 74 | 0.00 | 0 | 1,600 | 0.06 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Conservative Reformers}}| | align=left| [[Liberal Conservative Reformers|Liberal Conservatives]] | 139 | 0.00 | 0 | 1,340 | 0.05 | New | 0 | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität}}| | align=left| [[Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität|Solidarity Movement]] | colspan=3| – | 425 | 0.01 | -0.03 | 0 | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | | align=left| Non-partisan Residents | 643 | 0.02 | 0 | colspan=4| – | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Democracy in Motion}}| | align=left| [[Democracy in Motion]] | 168 | 0.01 | 0 | colspan=4| – | 0 | New |- | bgcolor={{party color|Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany}}| | align=left| [[Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany]] | 94 | 0.00 | 0 | colspan=4| – | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- | | align=left| Ecological Left | 46 | 0.00 | 0 | colspan=4| – | 0 | {{nochange}} 0 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=2| Total ! 2,873,070 ! 100.00 ! 55 ! 2,881,261 ! 100.00 ! ! 82 ! 137 ! {{increase}} 27 |- | colspan=2 align=center| Invalid | 69,776 | 2.37 | | 61,585 | 2.09 | colspan=4| |- ! colspan=2| Turnout ! 2,942,846 ! 67.30 ! ! 2,942,846 ! 67.30 ! -5.93 ! colspan=4| |- | colspan=2 align=center| Registered voters | 4,372,788 | colspan=2| | 4,372,788 | colspan=5| |} <gallery> File:Landesstimmen 2018 der CDU (%) Graustufen.svg|CDU vote File:Landesstimmen 2018 der Grünen (%).svg|Green vote File:Landesstimmen 2018 der SPD (%).svg|SPD vote File:Landesstimmen 2018 der AfD (%).svg|AfD vote File:Landesstimmen 2018 der FDP (%).svg|FDP vote File:Landesstimmen 2018 der Linken (%).svg|Linke vote </gallery>

==State government formation== Despite heavy losses inflicted on the party, the [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]] returned to government after negotiating a coalition agreement with the [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]], the second consecutive such arrangement between the two parties. The two parties formed the narrowest possible majority in the [[Landtag of Hesse|Landtag]], occupying 69 seats. As part of the agreement, the Greens increased their representation in the [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet]], holding four of the eleven portfolios.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.de/20181220/how-the-unlikely-political-team-of-cdu-and-greens-have-reunited-in-hesse|title=How the unlikely team of CDU and Greens have reunited in Hesse|work=The Local|date=20 December 2018}}</ref> The returned coalition only became possible after a [[recount]] of votes took place several weeks after the election, due to computer glitches which affected some election night results. Following the recount, the state election commissioner announced that compared to the provisional figures, there were no significant shifts in the percentages, and the distribution of seats in the state parliament had not changed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.de/20181116/merkels-cdu-and-greens-can-breathe-sigh-of-relief-as-hesse-vote-recount-shows-no-change|title=Merkel's CDU and Greens can breathe sigh of relief after Hesse vote recount|work=The Local|date=16 November 2018}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category-inline}} * [http://www.wahlen.hessen.de/ Hessischer Landeswahlleiter] (Official website, German language) * [http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/hessen.htm Wahlumfragen zur Landtagswahl in Hessen] ([[wahlrecht.de]]) * [https://www.gruene-hessen.de/partei/files/2018/12/Koalitionsvertrag-CDU-GR%C3%9CNE-2018-Stand-20-12-2018-online.pdf KOALITIONSVERTRAG] (Text of the CDU/Greens Coalition Agreement, German)

[[Category:2018 elections in Germany]] [[Category:Elections in Hesse|2018]] [[Category:October 2018 in Germany]] [[Category:2010s in Hesse]]