Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II 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 102. It is located in western North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the cities of Solingen, Remscheid, and small parts of Wuppertal.
Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2021 to 2025, it has been represented by Jürgen Hardt of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Jürgen Hardt of the CDU.
Geography Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II is located in western North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the independent cities of Solingen and Remscheid, as well as the districts of Cronenberg and Ronsdorf from the independent city of Wuppertal.
History Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II was created in 1949, then known as Remscheid – Solingen. From 1965 through 1976, it was named Solingen. From 1980 through 1998, it was named Solingen – Remscheid. It acquired its current name in the 2002 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 15 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 74. From 1965 through 1998, it was number 71. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 104. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 103. From the 2025 election, it has been number 102.
Originally, the constituency comprised the cities of Solingen and Remscheid. In the 1965 through 1976 elections, it was coterminous with Solingen. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it again comprised Solingen and Remscheid. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Remscheid – Solingen Remscheid city Solingen city 1953 74 1957 1961 1965 71 Solingen Solingen city 1969 1972 1976 1980 Solingen – Remscheid Solingen city Remscheid city 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 104 Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal II Solingen city Remscheid city Wuppertal city (only Cronenberg and Ronsdorf districts) 2005 2009 2013 103 2017 2021 2025 102
Members The constituency was first represented by Hermann Runge of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 1949 to 1953. It was won by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1953 and represented by Fritz Hellwig for a single term, followed by fellow CDU member Franz Etzel for two terms. Arthur Killat of the CDU was elected in 1965 and served until 1972, when the SPD won the constituency. Heinz Schreiber then served until 1983, when Bernd Wilz of the CDU was elected. He served three terms before SPD candidate Hans-Werner Bertl won in 1994. He was succeeded in 2005 by Jürgen Kucharczyk, who served a single term. The CDU's Jürgen Hardt was elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Ingo Schäfer regained the constituency for the SPD in 2021. Jürgen Hardt regained the constituency for the CDU in 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Hermann Runge SPD 25.0 1953 Fritz Hellwig CDU 38.6 1957 Franz Etzel CDU 50.7 1961 41.5 1965 Arthur Killat CDU 45.1 1969 39.3 1972 Heinz Schreiber SPD 52.2 1976 47.6 1980 49.5 1983 Bernd Wilz CDU 47.2 1987 44.4 1990 42.0 1994 Hans-Werner Bertl SPD 44.7 1998 49.8 2002 47.1 2005 Jürgen Kucharczyk SPD 43.3 2009 Jürgen Hardt CDU 39.0 2013 44.3 2017 38.2 2021 Ingo Schäfer SPD 32.6 2025 Jürgen Hardt CDU 32.4
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References