2015 Bremen state election

2015 Bremen state election

← 2011 10 May 2015 2019 →
All 83 seats in the Bürgerschaft of Bremen 42 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	1,168,352 (50.2%) 5.3%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jens Böhrnsen Elisabeth Motschmann Karoline Linnert Party SPD CDU Greens Last election 36 seats, 38.6% 20 seats, 20.4% 21 seats, 22.5% Seats won 29 20 14 Seat change 7 0 7 Popular vote 383,509 261,929 176,807 Percentage 32.8% 22.4% 15.1% Swing 5.8% 2.0% 7.4%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Kristina Vogt Lencke Wischhusen Christian Schäfer Party Left FDP AfD Last election 5 seats, 5.6% 0 seats, 2.4% Did not exist Seats won 8 6 4 Seat change 3 6 4 Popular vote 111,485 76,754 64,368 Percentage 9.5% 6.6% 5.5% Swing 3.9% 4.2% New party   Seventh party   Leader Jan Timke Party Citizens in Rage Last election 1 seat, 3.7% Seats won 1 Seat change 0 Popular vote 37,759 Percentage 3.2% Swing 0.5%
Government before election Third Böhrnsen senate SPD–Green Government after election Sieling senate SPD–Green

The 2015 Bremen state election was held on 10 May 2015 to elect the members of the Bürgerschaft of Bremen, as well as the city councils of Bremen and Bremerhaven.^[1] The incumbent government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Greens retained its majority. However, Mayor and SPD leader Jens Böhrnsen resigned due to his party's poor performance, which was significantly below expectations. He was succeeded by fellow SPD member Carsten Sieling.^[2]

Analysts expressed surprise about the low turnout (just 50.1%), the lowest since 1945 in a west German state, and concern about a particularly low turnout in impoverished areas, which was seen as an indication of disillusionment with politics in these demographics.^[3]