Karlsruhe-Land 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 272. It is located in northwestern Baden-Württemberg, comprising the central and southern parts of the Landkreis Karlsruhe district.
Karlsruhe-Land was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. It was abolished in 1965 and re-established in the 1980 federal election. Since 2021, it has been represented by Nicolas Zippelius of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Geography Karlsruhe-Land is located in northwestern Baden-Württemberg. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the Landkreis Karlsruhe district excluding the municipalities of Bad Schönborn, Bruchsal, Forst, Hambrücken, Karlsdorf-Neuthard, Kronau, Oberhausen-Rheinhausen, Östringen, Philippsburg, Ubstadt-Weiher, and Waghäusel.
History Karlsruhe-Land was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Württemberg-Baden Landesbezirk Baden constituency 4 in the number system. In the 1953 through 1961 elections, it was number 178. Originally, it comprised the independent city of Pforzheim, the Landkreis Pforzheim district, and the Landkreis Karlsruhe district excluding the municipalities of Bretten, Oberderdingen, and Walzbachtal.
Karlsruhe-Land was abolished in the 1965 election. Its area was divided between the new constituencies of Pforzheim – Karlsruhe-Land I and Bruchsal – Karlsruhe-Land II.
Karlsruhe-Land was re-established in the 1980 election. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it was constituency 176. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 273. Since the 2009 election, it has been number 272. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it comprised the Landkreis Karlsruhe district excluding the municipalities of Ettlingen, Malsch, Oberderdingen, and Rheinstetten. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Karlsruhe-Land Pforzheim city Landkreis Pforzheim district Landkreis Karlsruhe district (excluding Bretten, Oberderdingen, and Walzbachtal municipalities) 1953 178 1957 1961 1965 Abolished 1969 1972 1976 1980 176 Karlsruhe-Land Landkreis Karlsruhe district (excluding Ettlingen, Malsch, Oberderdingen, and Rheinstetten municipalities) 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 273 Landkreis Karlsruhe district (excluding Bad Schönborn, Bruchsal, Forst, Hambrücken, Karlsdorf-Neuthard, Kronau, Oberhausen-Rheinhausen, Östringen, Philippsburg, Ubstadt-Weiher, and Waghäusel municipalities) 2005 2009 272 2013 2017 2021 2025
Members The constituency has been held continuously by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) throughout both its incarnations. It was first represented by Gottfried Leonhard from 1949 until its abolition in 1965. After its re-establishment, it was represented by Klaus Bühler from 1980 to 2002. Axel Fischer was representative from 2002 to 2021. He was succeeded by Nicolas Zippelius in 2021.
Election Member Party % 1949 Gottfried Leonhard CDU 34.5 1953 52.9 1957 53.8 1961 45.1 Abolished (1965–1980) 1980 Klaus Bühler CDU 54.5 1983 51.4 1987 58.4 1990 54.7 1994 53.2 1998 46.7 2002 Axel Fischer CDU 47.0 2005 48.3 2009 45.2 2013 53.3 2017 40.5 2021 Nicolas Zippelius CDU 30.4 2025 39.2
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References