Kaiserslautern 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 208. It is located in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, comprising the city of Kaiserslautern, the Donnersbergkreis district, the Kusel district, and the northeastern part of the Landkreis Kaiserslautern district.
Kaiserslautern was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2023, it has been represented by Matthias Mieves of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Geography Kaiserslautern is located in southern Rhineland-Palatinate. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the independent city of Kaiserslautern, the district of Donnersbergkreis, the district of Donnersbergkreis, and the Verbandsgemeinden of Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Otterbach-Otterberg, and Weilerbach.
History Kaiserslautern was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Rhineland-Palatinate constituency 13 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1961 elections, it was number 160. In the 1965 through 1976 elections, it was number 161. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it was number 159. In the 2002 election, it was number 212. In the 2005 election, it was number 211. In the 2009 and 2013 elections, it was number 210. In the 2017 and 2021 elections, it was number 209. From the 2025 election, it has been number 208.
Originally, the constituency comprised the city of Kaiserslautern and the districts of Landkreis Kaiserslautern and Kusel. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern city Kusel district Landkreis Kaiserslautern district 1953 160 1957 1961 1965 161 1969 1972 1976 1980 159 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 212 Kaiserslautern city Donnersbergkreis district Kusel district Landkreis Kaiserslautern district (only Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Otterbach-Otterberg, and Weilerbach Verbandsgemeinden) 2005 211 2009 210 2013 2017 209 2021 2025 208
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 Adolf Ludwig of the SPD from 1949 to 1953. August Spies of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was elected in 1953 and served until 1961. Adolf Müller-Emmert regained it for the SPD in 1961 and was representative until 1987, a total of seven consecutive terms. He was succeeded by Rose Götte from 1987 to 1994. Hansjörg Schäfer then served two terms from 1994 to 2002. Gustav Herzog was representative from 2002 to 2021. He was succeeded by Matthias Mieves in 2021, who was re-elected in 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Adolf Ludwig SPD 36.5 1953 August Spies CDU 37.8 1957 42.8 1961 Adolf Müller-Emmert SPD 41.4 1965 46.5 1969 49.4 1972 55.7 1976 50.8 1980 52.6 1983 48.9 1987 Rose Götte SPD 48.7 1990 47.3 1994 Hansjörg Schäfer SPD 47.9 1998 50.9 2002 Gustav Herzog SPD 49.9 2005 44.2 2009 34.6 2013 38.5 2017 33.9 2021 Matthias Mieves SPD 33.9 2025 28.0
Election results
2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References