Gießen 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 172. It is located in central Hesse, comprising the Gießen district and the northwestern part of the Vogelsbergkreis district.
Gießen was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2021 to 2025, it was represented by Felix Döring of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Frederik Bouffier of the CDU.
Geography Gießen is located in central Hesse. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the Gießen district excluding the municipalities of Biebertal and Wettenberg, as well as the municipalities of Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, and Romrod from the Vogelsbergkreis district.
History Gießen was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Hesse constituency 8 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1976 elections, it was number 133. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 131. In 2002 and 2005, it was number 175. In the 2009 election, it was number 174. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 173. From the 2025 election, it has been number 172.
Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Gießen and the districts of Landkreis Gießen and Alsfeld. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it comprised the entirety of Gießen district as well as the municipalities of Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Grebenau, Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, Romrod, Schwalmtal from the Vogelbergskreis district. In the 2002 election, it acquired borders very similar to its current configuration, but including the municipalities of Grebenau, Schotten, and Schwalmtal from Vogelsbergkreis district. It acquired its current borders in the 2013 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Gießen Gießen city Landkreis Gießen district Alsfeld district 1953 133 1957 1961 1965 1969 1972 1976 1980 130 Gießen district Vogelsbergkreis district (only Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Grebenau, Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, Romrod, and Schwalmtal municipality) 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 175 Gießen district (excluding Biebertal and Wettenberg municipalities) Vogelsbergkreis district (only Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Grebenau, Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, Romrod, Schotten, and Schwalmtal municipalities) 2005 2009 174 2013 173 Gießen district (excluding Biebertal and Wettenberg municipalities) Vogelsbergkreis district (only Alsfeld, Antrifttal, Feldatal, Gemünden (Felda), Homberg (Ohm), Kirtorf, Mücke, and Romrod municipalities) 2017 2021 2025 172
Members The constituency was first represented by Ludwig Schneider of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) from 1949 to 1957. of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1957 and served until 1969. He was succeeded by fellow SPD member Erwin Horn. of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was elected in 1983, but former member Horn regained the constituency in 1987 and served a further three terms. He was succeeded by fellow SPD member Rüdiger Veit in 1998, who served until 2009. Helge Braun of the CDU was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Felix Döring regained the constituency for the SPD in 2021.
Election Member Party % 1949 FDP 39.5 1953 34.1 1957 SPD 38.3 1961 42.4 1965 47.3 1969 SPD 49.8 1972 53.3 1976 47.4 1980 50.3 1983 CDU 47.5 1987 SPD 43.3 1990 41.6 1994 42.3 1998 Rüdiger Veit SPD 46.4 2002 45.3 2005 43.3 2009 Helge Braun CDU 36.7 2013 44.4 2017 35.1 2021 Felix Döring SPD 30.4 2025 Frederik Bouffier CDU 30.4
Election results
2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References