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2003 Lower Saxony state election

State election in Lower Saxony, Germany

Field	Value
election_name	2003 Lower Saxony state election
country	Lower Saxony
type	parliamentary
ongoing	no
previous_election	1998 Lower Saxony state election
previous_year	1998
next_election	2008 Lower Saxony state election
next_year	2008
seats_for_election	All 183 seats in the Landtag of Lower Saxony
majority_seats	92
election_date	2 February 2003
turnout	3,984,009 (67.0%)
6.8%
image1	[[File:Landtag Niedersachsen DSCF7769.JPG	125px]]
leader1	Christian Wulff
party1	Christian Democratic Union of Germany
last_election1	62 seats, 35.9%
seats1	91
seat_change1	29
popular_vote1	1,925,055
percentage1	48.3%
swing1	12.4%
image2	[[File:Sigmar Gabriel (2012).jpg	125px]]
leader2	Sigmar Gabriel
party2	Social Democratic Party of Germany
last_election2	83 seats, 47.9%
seats2	63
seat_change2	20
popular_vote2	1,330,156
percentage2	33.4%
swing2	14.5%
party4	Free Democratic Party (Germany)
last_election4	0 seats, 4.9%
seats4	15
seat_change4	15
popular_vote4	323,107
percentage4	8.1%
swing4	3.2%
party5	Alliance 90/The Greens
last_election5	12 seats, 7.0%
seats5	14
seat_change5	2
popular_vote5	304,532
percentage5	7.6%
swing5	0.6%
map_image	2003 Lower Saxony state election.svg
map_size	350px
map_caption	Results for the single-member constituencies
title	Minister-President
before_election	Sigmar Gabriel
before_party	Social Democratic Party of Germany
after_election	Christian Wulff
after_party	Christian Democratic Union of Germany

6.8%

The 2003 Lower Saxony state election was held on 2 February 2003 to elect the members of the 15th Landtag of Lower Saxony. The incumbent Social Democratic Party (SPD) majority government led by Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel was defeated. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came up one seat short of a majority, and formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). CDU leader Christian Wulff was subsequently elected minister-president.

Background

The election in Lower Saxony had larger significance than just in the state itself. Defeat for the Social Democrats in the election would mean they lost their slim majority in the upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat. It was thought this might cause the collapse of Gerhard Schröder's national coalition government between the Social Democrats and the Green Party.

Campaign and issues

The economy was seen as the most important issue in the election, with the Social Democrats suffering as a result.

Opinion polls in December 2002 showed the Christian Democrats in the lead with 43% as against 34% for the Social Democrats.

Parties

The table below lists parties represented in the 14th Landtag of Lower Saxony.

Name	Ideology	Leader(s)	1998 result
Social Democratic Party of Germany}}		SPD	Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands	Social democracy	Sigmar Gabriel	47.9%
Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}		CDU	Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands	Christian democracy	Christian Wulff	35.9%
Alliance 90/The Greens}}		Grüne	Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen	Green politics		7.0%

Opinion polling

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample
size	SPD	CDU	Grüne	FDP	Others	Lead	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};"		Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};"	Alliance 90/The Greens}};"	Free Democratic Party (Germany)}};"
2003 state election	2 Feb 2003	–	33.4	48.3	7.6	8.1	2.5	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	14.9
Forsa	27–30 Jan 2003	1,014	33	48	8	7	4	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	15
Forsa	20–24 Jan 2003	1,103	35	48	8	6	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	13
Emnid	23 Jan 2003	?	37	46	9	5	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	9
Infratest dimap	16–20 Jan 2003	1,000	36	48	7	5	4	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	12
Forsa	13–18 Jan 2003	1,008	36	48	8	5	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	12
Infratest dimap	9–13 Jan 2003	1,000	37	46	8	6	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	9
Forsa	6–10 Jan 2003	1,027	37	46	9	5	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	9
Forschungsgruppe Wahlen	6–9 Jan 2003	1,044	37	45	8	6	4	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	8
Forsa	27 Dec 2002–3 Jan 2003	1,122	36	46	10	5	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	10
Infratest dimap	2–4 Dec 2002	1,000	40	45	7	5	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	5
Emnid	14–20 Nov 2002	1,003	34	43	12	6	5	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	9
Forsa	23 Sep 2002	?	47	36.5	7.5	4.5	4.5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	11.5
Emnid	30 Aug–4 Sep 2002	1,000	42	38	7	8	5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	4
Infratest dimap	14 Jun 2002	1,000	45	35	6	11	3	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	10
Emnid	31 May 2002	?	39	37	6	12	6	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	2
Forsa	17 Apr 2002	?	43	41	6	4	6	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	2
Emnid	21–27 Feb 2002	1,000	43	37	7	8	5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	6
Forsa	11–27 Feb 2002	1,327	43	39	6	5	7	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	4
Infratest dimap	31 Aug 2001	?	44	36	6	9	5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	8
Forsa	22 Jun 2001	?	46	37	7	5	5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	9
Infratest dimap	20 Feb 2001	?	48	35	7	5	5	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	13
Forsa	28 Oct 1999	?	41	46	6	4	3	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	5
Infratest dimap	21–24 Oct 1999	1,000	41	46	5	4	4	Christian Democratic Union of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	5
1998 state election	1 Mar 1998	–	47.9	35.9	7.0	4.9	4.3	Social Democratic Party of Germany}};color:#FFFFFF;"	12.0

Election result

|- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- ! Seats %

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References

Hall, Allan. (2002-12-01). "The joke's on Schroder as Germans seek serious answers to economic crisis". [[Scotland on Sunday]].
(2003-02-03). "State voters reject Schroeder". [[CNN]].
Hall, Allan. (2002-12-26). "Germany is desperately seeking Schroder as chancellor loses his grip". [[The Scotsman]].

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