2018 Bavarian state election

2018 Bavarian state election

← 2013 14 October 2018 2023 →
205 seats in the Landtag of Bavaria (including 25 overhang and leveling seats) 103 seats needed for a majority
Registered	9,479,428
Turnout	6,852,036 (72.3%) 8.7%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Markus Söder Katharina Schulze Ludwig Hartmann Hubert Aiwanger Party CSU Greens FW Last election 101 seats, 47.7% 18 seats, 8.6% 19 seats, 9.0% Seats won 85 38 27 Seat change 16 21 8 Popular vote 5,046,081 2,392,356 1,572,792 Percentage 37.2% 17.6% 11.6% Swing 10.5% 9.0% 2.6%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Martin Sichert Natascha Kohnen Martin Hagen Party AfD SPD FDP Last election Did not contest 42 seats, 20.6% 0 seats, 3.3% Seats won 22 22 11 Seat change 22 20 11 Popular vote 1,388,622 1,309,078 690,499 Percentage 10.2% 9.7% 5.1% Swing New party 10.9% 1.8%
Map of the election, showing the winner of each single-member district and the distribution of list seats in the constituencies.
Government before election First Söder cabinet CSU Government after election Second Söder cabinet CSU–FW

The 2018 Bavarian state election took place on 14 October 2018 to elect the 180 members of the 18th Landtag of Bavaria.^[1] The outgoing government was a majority of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), led by Minister President Markus Söder.

The CSU recorded its worst result since 1950 with 37% of votes, a decline of over ten percentage points, although it remained by far the largest party in the Landtag. The SPD, which had previously been the second largest party, fell to fifth place with just 10%. The Greens gained 9 points and emerged as the second strongest party with 17.5%. The Free Voters of Bavaria (FW) gained 2.6 points and finished third with 11.6% of the total vote. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), which ran in Bavaria for the first time, placed fourth with 10%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP), which failed to enter the Landtag in 2013, narrowly re-entered with 5.1%, becoming the smallest party. Turnout rose to 72%, up 9 points from under 64% in 2013.^[2]

The election was influenced by the condition of the federal CDU/CSU–SPD government following two crises in the preceding months: the so-called asylum quarrel in June and July followed by the controversy around Hans-Georg Maaßen in September. CSU leader Horst Seehofer played a major role in both events. Four days before the Bavarian election, federal SPD leader Andrea Nahles criticised Chancellor Angela Merkel, accusing her of a "lack of leadership".^[3]

As a result of the election, the CSU lacked a majority and formed a coalition government with the Free Voters.