2021 Berlin state election

2021 Berlin state election

← 2016 26 September 2021 2023 →
elected members →
All 147 seats in the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin, including 17 overhang and leveling seats 74 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	1,844,278 (75.4%) 8.5 pp
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Franziska Giffey Bettina Jarasch Kai Wegner Party SPD Greens CDU Last election 38 seats, 21.6% 27 seats, 15.2% 31 seats, 17.6% Seats won 36 32 30 Seat change 2 5 1 Popular vote 390,329 343,871 328,587 Percentage 21.4% 18.9% 18.0% Swing 0.1 pp 3.7 pp 0.4 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Candidate Klaus Lederer Kristin Brinker Sebastian Czaja Party Left AfD FDP Last election 27 seats, 15.6% 25 seats, 14.2% 12 seats, 6.7% Seats won 24 13 12 Seat change 3 12 0 Popular vote 256,063 145,712 130,201 Percentage 14.1% 8.0% 7.1% Swing 1.6 pp 6.2 pp 0.5 pp
Government before election Second Müller senate SPD–Left–Green Government after election Giffey senate SPD–Green–Left

The 2021 Berlin state election, ruled invalid in 2022 and repeated in 2023, was held on 26 September 2021, on the same day as the 2021 German federal election, which also had to be repeated in parts of Berlin due to irregularities. Thus, the 19th Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin^[1][2] was elected twice.

The incumbent government was a red-red-green coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), The Left, and The Greens led by Governing Mayor Michael Müller. Müller did not run for re-election as Mayor, and former federal minister Franziska Giffey led the SPD in the election.^[3] The Berlin expropriation referendum was held on the same day, as well as the Borough council elections who function as the municipal elections of Berlin.

The SPD remained the largest party with 21.4% of votes cast, recording minimal change compared to 2016. The Greens narrowly surpassed the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to become the second largest party with 19% of the vote. The Left recorded a small decline to 14%, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) lost almost half its vote share and finished on 8%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) remained the smallest party in the Abgeordnetenhaus with 7%.^[4]

Post-election, SPD's Giffey and Bettina Jarasch of the Greens both spoke out in favour of a coalition involving their parties.^[4] They ultimately renewed the outgoing government with The Left. Franziska Giffey was elected as Governing Mayor on 21 December and her cabinet was sworn in the same day.^[5]

Due to numerous irregularities that took place during the election, the Constitutional Court of the State of Berlin annulled the results in November 2022. As a result, repeat elections were scheduled for the next year.^[6]