Deggendorf 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 226. It is located in southeastern Bavaria, comprising the districts of Deggendorf and Freyung-Grafenau.
Deggendorf was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2017, it has been represented by Thomas Erndl of the Christian Social Union (CSU).
Geography Deggendorf is located in southeastern Bavaria. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the districts of Deggendorf and Freyung-Grafenau as well as the municipalities of Aicha vorm Wald, Eging am See, Fürstenstein, and Hofkirchen from the Passau district.
History Deggendorf was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Bavaria constituency 13 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1961 elections, it was number 208. In the 1965 through 1998 elections, it was number 213. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 228. In the 2009 through 2021 elections, it was number 227. From the 2025 election, it has been number 226.
Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Deggendorf and the districts of Landkreis Deggendorf, Kötzting, Regen, and Viechtach. In the 1965 through 1972 elections, it also contained the district of Grafenau. In the 1976 through 2013 elections, it comprised the districts of Deggendorf and Freyung-Grafenau. It acquired its current borders in the 2017 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Deggendorf Deggendorf city Landkreis Deggendorf district Kötzting district Regen district Viechtach district 1953 208 1957 1961 1965 213 Deggendorf city Landkreis Deggendorf district Kötzting district Regen district Viechtach district Grafenau district 1969 1972 1976 Deggendorf district Freyung-Grafenau district 1980 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 228 2005 2009 227 2013 2017 Deggendorf district Freyung-Grafenau district Passau district (only Aicha vorm Wald, Eging am See, Fürstenstein, and Hofkirchen municipalities) 2021 2025 226
Members The constituency has been held by the Christian Social Union (CSU) during all but one Bundestag term since its creation. It was first represented by Ludwig Volkholz of the Bavaria Party (BP) from 1949 to 1953. Stefan Dittrich won it for the CSU in 1953, and served until 1972. He was succeeded by Franz Handlos from 1972 to 1987. Handlos was elected for the CSU in each of his four terms, but left the party in 1983 to co-found The Republicans. After losing the leadership of the party, he founded the Freedom People's Party (FVP) in 1985. He was defeated in 1987 by CSU candidate Bartholomäus Kalb. Kalb was then representative from 1987 to 2017, a total of eight consecutive terms. Thomas Erndl was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 and 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Ludwig Volkholz BP 35.5 1953 Stefan Dittrich CSU 48.1 1957 61.8 1961 63.8 1965 63.0 1969 58.8 1972 Franz Handlos CSU 65.0 1976 73.3 1980 72.0 1983 73.6 REP 1987 Bartholomäus Kalb CSU 57.2 1990 61.6 1994 61.1 1998 56.2 2002 68.9 2005 61.0 2009 52.9 2013 61.4 2017 Thomas Erndl CSU 44.1 2021 37.4 2025 43.3
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
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References