Recklinghausen I 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 120. It is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the southeastern part of the Recklinghausen district.
Recklinghausen I was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2005, it has been represented by Frank Schwabe of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Geography Recklinghausen I is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the municipalities of Castrop-Rauxel, Recklinghausen, and Waltrop from the Recklinghausen district.
History Recklinghausen I was created in 1949, then known as Recklinghausen-Stadt. It acquired its current name in the 1980 West German federal election.
In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 42 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 101. From 1965 through 1976, it was number 100. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 91. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 122. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 121. From the 2025 election, it has been number 120.
Originally, the constituency comprised only the city of Recklinghausen. From 1965 through 1976, it comprised the independent city of Recklinghausen and the municipalities of Waltrop, Henrichenburg, Datteln, Oer-Erkenschwick, and Haltern from the Recklinghausen district. It acquired its current borders in the 1980 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Recklinghausen-Stadt Recklinghausen city 1953 101 1957 1961 1965 100 Recklinghausen city Recklinghausen district (only Waltrop, Henrichenburg, Datteln, Oer-Erkenschwick, and Haltern municipalities) 1969 1972 1976 1980 91 Recklinghausen I Recklinghausen district (only Castrop-Rauxel, Recklinghausen, and Waltrop municipalities) 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 122 2005 2009 2013 121 2017 2021 2025 120
Members The constituency has been held by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during all but three Bundestag terms since 1949. It was first represented by Bernhard Winkelheide of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1949 to 1961. Heinrich Auge of the SPD was elected in 1961 and served two terms, followed by Erich Wolfram from 1969 to 1987. Heinz-Werner Meyer served a single term from 1987 to 1990. He was succeeded by Jochen Welt from 1990 to 2005. Frank Schwabe was elected in 2005, and re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Bernhard Winkelheide CDU 48.3 1953 49.4 1957 50.5 1961 Heinrich Auge SPD 44.3 1965 51.1 1969 Erich Wolfram SPD 53.5 1972 59.7 1976 56.1 1980 57.5 1983 53.9 1987 Heinz-Werner Meyer SPD 53.9 1990 Jochen Welt SPD 52.4 1994 54.8 1998 58.8 2002 56.2 2005 Frank Schwabe SPD 55.7 2009 43.1 2013 45.2 2017 38.7 2021 41.0 2025 33.1
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References