Weiden (electoral district)
# Weiden (electoral district)

Weiden 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 235. It is located in northeastern Bavaria, comprising the city of Weiden in der Oberpfalz and the districts of Neustadt an der Waldnaab and Tirschenreuth.

Weiden was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2005, it has been represented by Albert Rupprecht of the Christian Social Union (CSU).

## Geography

Weiden is located in northeastern Bavaria. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the independent city of Weiden in der Oberpfalz and the districts of Neustadt an der Waldnaab and Tirschenreuth.

## History

Weiden was created in 1949, then known as Tirschenreuth. It acquired its current name in the 1976 election. In the 1949 election, it was Bavaria constituency 23 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1961 elections, it was number 218. In the 1965 through 1998 elections, it was number 221. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 236. Since the 2009 election, it has been number 235.

Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Weiden in der Oberpfalz and the districts of Tirschenreuth, Neustadt an der Waldnaab, and Kemnath. In the 1965 through 1972 elections, also contained the district of Eschenbach. It acquired its current borders in the 1976 election.

| Election | No. | Name | Borders |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1949 | 23 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district |
| 1953 | 218 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district |
| 1957 | 218 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district |
| 1961 | 218 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district |
| 1965 | 221 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district Eschenbach district |
| 1969 | 221 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district Eschenbach district |
| 1972 | 221 | Tirschenreuth | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Tirschenreuth district Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Kemnath district Eschenbach district |
| 1976 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1980 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1983 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1987 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1990 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1994 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 1998 | 221 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2002 | 236 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2005 | 236 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2009 | 235 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2013 | 235 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2017 | 235 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |
| 2021 | 235 | Weiden | Weiden in der Oberpfalz city Neustadt an der Waldnaab district Tirschenreuth district |

## Members

The constituency has been held continuously by the Christian Social Union (CSU) since its creation. It was first represented by Hans Bodensteiner from 1949 to 1953. He was elected for the CSU, but defected to co-found the All-German People's Party (GVP) in November 1952. followed by Hugo Geiger from 1953 to 1961. Franz Weigl served from 1961 to 1972. Max Kunz was then representative from 1972 to 1990. Simon Wittmann served two terms from 1990 to 1998, followed by Georg Girisch from 1998 to 2005. Albert Rupprecht was elected in 2005, and re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2021.

| Election | Member | Party | % |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1949 | Hans Bodensteiner | CSU | 35.7 |
| 1949 | Hans Bodensteiner | GVP | 35.7 |
| 1953 | Hugo Geiger | CSU | 54.7 |
| 1957 | Hugo Geiger | CSU | 62.8 |
| 1961 | Franz Weigl | CSU | 61.1 |
| 1965 | Franz Weigl | CSU | 60.2 |
| 1969 | Franz Weigl | CSU | 57.2 |
| 1972 | Max Kunz | CSU | 56.1 |
| 1976 | Max Kunz | CSU | 62.1 |
| 1980 | Max Kunz | CSU | 60.0 |
| 1983 | Max Kunz | CSU | 63.3 |
| 1987 | Max Kunz | CSU | 57.8 |
| 1990 | Simon Wittmann | CSU | 55.8 |
| 1994 | Simon Wittmann | CSU | 53.2 |
| 1998 | Georg Girisch | CSU | 47.1 |
| 2002 | Georg Girisch | CSU | 59.2 |
| 2005 | Albert Rupprecht | CSU | 48.4 |
| 2009 | Albert Rupprecht | CSU | 44.9 |
| 2013 | Albert Rupprecht | CSU | 55.1 |
| 2017 | Albert Rupprecht | CSU | 46.3 |
| 2021 | Albert Rupprecht | CSU | 38.5 |

## Election results

### 2021 election

Federal election (2021): Weiden :

| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CSU | Y Albert Rupprecht | Y Albert Rupprecht | 50,575 | 38.5 | 7.8 | 46,451 | 35.4 | 7.7 |
| | SPD | Uli Grötsch | Uli Grötsch | 29,573 | 22.5 | 0.2 | 29,461 | 22.4 | 3.4 |
| | AfD | Manfred Schiller | Manfred Schiller | 13,523 | 10.3 | | 14,898 | 11.3 | 2.1 |
| | Independent | Konrad Dippel | Konrad Dippel | 9,358 | 7.1 | | | | |
| | FW | Tobias Groß | Tobias Groß | 9,306 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 12,067 | 9.2 | 5.3 |
| | Greens | Anneliese Droste | Anneliese Droste | 6,633 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 9,170 | 7.0 | 2.0 |
| | FDP | Silke Klotz | Silke Klotz | 6,303 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 9,601 | 7.3 | 0.8 |
| | Left | Christian Weidner | Christian Weidner | 2,315 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 2,830 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
| | dieBasis | Dietmar Assel | Dietmar Assel | 1,458 | 1.1 | | 1,574 | 1.2 | |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 1,249 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| | ÖDP | Christian Wallmeyer | Christian Wallmeyer | 860 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 612 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| | BP | Roland Bayer | Roland Bayer | 771 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 719 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| | Independent | Helmut Bauer | Helmut Bauer | 749 | 0.6 | | | | |
| | Unabhängige | | | | | | 696 | 0.5 | |
| | PARTEI | | | | | | 651 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 345 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| | Team Todenhöfer | | | | | | 192 | 0.1 | |
| | Gesundheitsforschung | | | | | | 151 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| | Volt | | | | | | 148 | 0.1 | |
| | NPD | | | | | | 128 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| | V-Partei3 | | | | | | 94 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| | Humanists | | | | | | 87 | 0.1 | |
| | Bündnis C | | | | | | 70 | 0.1 | |
| | du. | | | | | | 65 | 0.0 | |
| | The III. Path | | | | | | 64 | 0.0 | |
| | LKR | | | | | | 14 | 0.0 | |
| | DKP | | | | | | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 823 | | | 891 | | |
| Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 131,424 | | | 131,356 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 132,247 | 79.8 | 2.3 | | | |
| | CSU hold | CSU hold | Majority | 21,002 | 16.0 | 8.0 | | | |

### 2017 election

Federal election (2017): Weiden :

| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CSU | Y Albert Rupprecht | Y Albert Rupprecht | 59,285 | 46.2 | 8.9 | 55,691 | 43.1 | 9.7 |
| | SPD | Uli Grötsch | Uli Grötsch | 28,614 | 22.3 | 0.3 | 24,631 | 19.0 | 3.5 |
| | AfD | | | | | | 17,411 | 13.5 | 9.9 |
| | Independent | Konrad Dippel | Konrad Dippel | 11,906 | 9.3 | | | | |
| | FW | Karl Meier | Karl Meier | 7,295 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 5,061 | 3.9 | 0.3 |
| | Left | Christian Weidner | Christian Weidner | 5,677 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 6,204 | 4.8 | 1.4 |
| | FDP | Martin Hofmann | Martin Hofmann | 5,269 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 8,479 | 6.6 | 3.2 |
| | Greens | Gisela Helgath | Gisela Helgath | 4,553 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 6,426 | 5.0 | 0.7 |
| | BP | Petra Ringelmann | Petra Ringelmann | 3,103 | 2.4 | | 1,293 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 966 | 0.7 | 0.1 |
| | ÖDP | Karlheinz Binner | Karlheinz Binner | 1,613 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 960 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| | Independent | Karl Schmid | Karl Schmid | 876 | 0.7 | | | | |
| | PARTEI | | | | | | 580 | 0.4 | |
| | NPD | | | | | | 494 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 352 | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| | Gesundheitsforschung | | | | | | 196 | 0.2 | |
| | V-Partei³ | | | | | | 192 | 0.1 | |
| | DM | | | | | | 143 | 0.1 | |
| | BGE | | | | | | 113 | 0.1 | |
| | DiB | | | | | | 97 | 0.1 | |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 22 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| | DKP | | | | | | 17 | 0.0 | |
| | BüSo | | | | | | 14 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,323 | | | 1,172 | | |
| Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 128,191 | | | 129,342 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 130,514 | 77.5 | 7.7 | | | |
| | CSU hold | CSU hold | Majority | 30,671 | 23.9 | 9.3 | | | |

### 2013 election

Federal election (2013): Weiden :

| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CSU | Y Albert Rupprecht | Y Albert Rupprecht | 64,930 | 55.1 | 10.2 | 62,126 | 52.8 | 8.4 |
| | SPD | Uli Grötsch | Uli Grötsch | 25,881 | 22.0 | 2.1 | 26,484 | 22.5 | 2.4 |
| | Independent | Konrad Willibald Dippel | Konrad Willibald Dippel | 5,181 | 4.4 | | | | |
| | Greens | Johann Mayer | Johann Mayer | 4,531 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 5,072 | 4.3 | 2.3 |
| | FW | Karl Meier | Karl Meier | 4,165 | 3.5 | | 4,259 | 3.6 | |
| | Left | Klaus Schmitsdorf | Klaus Schmitsdorf | 3,117 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 3,982 | 3.4 | 4.1 |
| | AfD | Hans-Peter Schaller | Hans-Peter Schaller | 2,855 | 2.4 | | 4,243 | 3.6 | |
| | NPD | Patrick Hermann Schröder | Patrick Hermann Schröder | 1,895 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1,909 | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| | Pirates | Floyd Ralf Kretschmar | Floyd Ralf Kretschmar | 1,806 | 1.5 | | 1,758 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| | FDP | Heinz-Dieter Pauly | Heinz-Dieter Pauly | 1,735 | 1.5 | 5.6 | 3,953 | 3.4 | 8.4 |
| | ÖDP | Karlheinz Helmut Binner | Karlheinz Helmut Binner | 1,489 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1,098 | 0.9 | 0.4 |
| | BP | | | | | | 1,071 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 772 | 0.7 | 0.1 |
| | REP | | | | | | 289 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| | DIE FRAUEN | | | | | | 254 | 0.2 | |
| | Independent | Karl-Justus Human | Karl-Justus Human | 204 | 0.2 | | | | |
| | Party of Reason | | | | | | 162 | 0.1 | |
| | PRO | | | | | | 109 | 0.1 | |
| | DIE VIOLETTEN | | | | | | 105 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| | RRP | | | | | | 27 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| | BüSo | | | | | | 19 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 18 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,114 | | | 1,193 | | |
| Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 117,789 | | | 117,710 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 118,903 | 69.8 | 2.3 | | | |
| | CSU hold | CSU hold | Majority | 39,049 | 33.1 | 8.1 | | | |

### 2009 election

Federal election (2009): Weiden :

| Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
| | CSU | Y Albert Rupprecht | Y Albert Rupprecht | 54,891 | 44.9 | 3.5 | 54,009 | 44.4 | 6.3 |
| | SPD | Werner Schieder | Werner Schieder | 24,261 | 19.9 | 7.7 | 24,467 | 20.1 | 10.0 |
| | Independent | Konrad Dippel | Konrad Dippel | 17,196 | 14.1 | | | | |
| | FDP | Norbert Ziegler | Norbert Ziegler | 8,664 | 7.1 | 4.3 | 14,272 | 11.7 | 5.3 |
| | Left | Sandro Hammer | Sandro Hammer | 6,567 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 9,093 | 7.5 | 3.9 |
| | Greens | Johann Mayer | Johann Mayer | 6,031 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 8,060 | 6.6 | 2.7 |
| | NPD | Karsten Panzer | Karsten Panzer | 2,994 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 3,071 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| | Pirates | | | | | | 2,207 | 1.8 | |
| | ÖDP | Rita Wiesend | Rita Wiesend | 1,563 | 1.3 | | 1,565 | 1.3 | |
| | FAMILIE | | | | | | 1,132 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| | BP | | | | | | 1,054 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 872 | 0.7 | |
| | REP | | | | | | 693 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| | RRP | | | | | | 642 | 0.5 | |
| | CM | | | | | | 222 | 0.2 | |
| | DIE VIOLETTEN | | | | | | 176 | 0.1 | |
| | PBC | | | | | | 108 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| | DVU | | | | | | 59 | 0.0 | |
| | BüSo | | | | | | 33 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| | MLPD | | | | | | 21 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,859 | | | 2,270 | | |
| Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 122,167 | | | 121,756 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 124,026 | 72.1 | 5.8 | | | |
| | CSU hold | CSU hold | Majority | 30,630 | 25.0 | 4.2 | | | |
