Bochum 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 139. It is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the western and central part of the city of Bochum.
Bochum I was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2002 to 2025, it was represented by Axel Schäfer of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Serdar Yüksel of the SPD.
Geography Bochum I is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the city districts (Stadtbezirke) of 1 Bochum-Mitte, 2 Bochum-Wattenscheid, 5 Bochum-Süd, and 6 Bochum-Südwest from the independent city of Bochum.
History Bochum I was created in 1949, then known as Bochum. It acquired its current name in the 1980 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 59 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 118. From 1965 through 1976, it was number 117. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 110. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 141. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 140. From the 2025 election, it has been number 139.
Originally, the constituency was coterminous with the independent city of Bochum. From 1965 through 1976, it comprised western parts of Bochum. From 1980 through 1998, it comprised the 1 Bochum-Mitte, 2 Bochum-Wattenscheid, and 6 Bochum-Südwest Stadtbezirke from Bochum. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Bochum Bochum city 1953 118 1957 1961 1965 117 Bochum city (only western parts) 1969 1972 1976 1980 110 Bochum I Bochum city (only 1 Bochum-Mitte, 2 Bochum-Wattenscheid, and 6 Bochum-Südwest Stadtbezirke) 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 141 Bochum city (only 1 Bochum-Mitte, 2 Bochum-Wattenscheid, 5 Bochum-Süd, and 6 Bochum-Südwest Stadtbezirke) 2005 2009 2013 140 2017 2021 2025 139
Members The constituency has been held by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during all but two Bundestag terms since its creation. It was first represented by Erich Ollenhauer of the SPD 1949 until 1953, when it was won by Franzjosef Müser of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for two terms. Heinrich Deist regained it for the SPD in 1961 and served a single term. Karl Liedtke was elected in 1965 and served until 1987. He was succeeded by Klaus Hasenfratz, who was then representative until 2002. Axel Schäfer was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2021. Schäfer was succeedeed by Serdar Yüksel in 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Erich Ollenhauer SPD 39.1 1953 Franzjosef Müser CDU 45.0 1957 47.2 1961 Heinrich Deist SPD 50.6 1965 Karl Liedtke SPD 55.2 1969 59.1 1972 64.0 1976 59.4 1980 59.9 1983 56.7 1987 Klaus Hasenfratz SPD 56.8 1990 54.5 1994 55.7 1998 60.7 2002 Axel Schäfer SPD 57.0 2005 55.7 2009 43.3 2013 44.2 2017 37.2 2021 38.3 2025 Serdar Yüksel SPD 32.7
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References