Burgenland – Saalekreis

Burgenland – Saalekreis 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 72. It is located in southern Saxony-Anhalt, comprising the Burgenlandkreis distinct and eastern parts of the Saalekreis district.[1]

72 Burgenland – Saalekreis
Electoral district
for the Bundestag
Burgenland – Saalekreis in 2025
StateSaxony-Anhalt
Population225,700 (2019)
Electorate184,352 (2021)
Major settlementsWeißenfels
Merseburg
Naumburg
Area1,753.27 km2
Current electoral district
Created1990
PartyCDU
MemberDieter Stier
Elected2009, 2013, 2017, 2021

Burgenland – Saalekreis was created for the inaugural 1990 federal election after German reunification. Since 2009, it has been represented by Dieter Stier of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).[2]

Geography

Burgenland – Saalekreis is located in southern Saxony-Anhalt. As of the 2025 federal election, it comprises the entirety of the Burgenlandkreis district and the municipalities of Bad Dürrenberg, Braunsbedra, Leuna, Merseburg, and Schkopau from Saalekreis district.[1]

History

Burgenland – Saalekreis was created after German reunification in 1990, then known as Zeitz – Hohenmölsen – Naumburg – Nebra. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was named Burgenland. It acquired its current name in the 2009 election. In the 1990 through 1998 elections, it was constituency 294 in the numbering system. In the 2002 through 2009 elections, it was number 74. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 73. From the 2025 election, it has been number 72.

Originally, it comprised the districts of Zeitz, Hohenmölsen, Naumburg, and Nebra. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election, but without the municipality of Merseburg. Merseburg was acquired ahead of the 2025 election.

ElectionNo.NameBorders
1990294Zeitz – Hohenmölsen – Naumburg – Nebra
  • Zeitz district
  • Hohenmölsen district
  • Naumburg district
  • Nebra district
1994
1998
200274Burgenland
2005
2009Burgenland – Saalekreis
201373
2017
2021
202572

Members

The constituency was first represented by Harald Schreiber of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1990 to 1994, followed by Margarete Späte from 1994 to 1998. It was won by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1998, and Eckhart Lewering served until 2005, followed by Maik Reichel until 2009. Dieter Stier of the CDU was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

ElectionMemberParty%
1990Harald SchreiberCDU45.5
1994Margarete SpäteCDU43.6
1998Eckhart LeweringSPD38.6
200235.5
2005Maik ReichelSPD31.6
2009Dieter StierCDU33.0
201344.8
201734.0
202126.3

Election results

2021 election

Federal election (2021): Burgenland – Saalekreis[3]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%Party votes%±%
CDU Y Dieter Stier32,64926.3 7.326,53521.3 8.6
AfDMartin Reichardt32,32826.0 2.731,00024.9 0.3
SPDJens Wojtyscha27,16521.9 8.728,46022.8 9.6
LeftBirke Bull-Bischoff12,41910.0 6.910,6308.5 7.8
FDPCarsten Sonntag11,7649.5 2.812,78510.3 2.4
GreensMartina Hoffmann4,2073.4 0.95,0024.0 1.4
dieBasisJens Jahr3,7613.02,6472.1
FW 1,6291.3 0.0
Tierschutzpartei 1,5071.2
Tierschutzallianz 1,1841.0 0.4
PARTEI 1,0060.8 0.1
Gartenpartei7610.6 0.3
NPD 4120.3 0.8
Pirates 4040.3
Volt 1580.1
du. 1560.1
Humanists 1210.1
MLPD 990.1 0.0
ÖDP 830.1
Informal votes1,5731,287
Total valid votes124,293124,579
Turnout125,86668.3 0.2
CDU holdMajority3210.3 9.9

2017 election

Federal election (2017): Burgenland – Saalekreis[4]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%Party votes%±%
CDU Y Dieter Stier43,25433.6 11.338,67829.9 12.9
AfDUwe Gewiese30,11223.431,78124.6 20.3
LeftBirke Bull-Bischoff21,81916.9 8.821,04216.3 7.5
SPDHans-Jürgen Schmidt16,93013.1 2.317,09813.2 3.1
FDPEiko Precht8,5386.6 5.110,1327.8 5.1
FWRonny Schneider3,4952.7 0.61,6871.3 0.1
GreensMiriam Matz3,1982.5 1.43,3662.6 0.5
Tierschutzallianz1,7681.4
NPDSteffen Thiel1,5691.2 2.81,4701.1 2.1
PARTEI 1,1270.9
MG4070.3
BGE 3150.2
DiB2070.2
MLPD 1340.1 0.0
Informal votes2,3042,007
Total valid votes128,915129,212
Turnout131,21968.5 6.9
CDU holdMajority13,14210.2 8.9

2013 election

Federal election (2013): Burgenland – Saalekreis[5]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%Party votes%±%
CDU Y Dieter Stier54,54444.8 11.852,19442.8 11.0
LeftRoland Claus31,30025.7 6.028,93323.7 8.1
SPDFlorian Hüfner18,79115.4 3.419,85016.3 0.7
AfD 5,2344.3
NPDHans Püschel4,8544.0 0.53,9203.2 0.2
GreensDieter Kmietczyk4,7603.9 0.83,7323.1 0.7
FWGünther Weiße2,5812.11,6951.4
PiratesManfred Dott2,4882.02,0971.7 0.3
FDPFlorian Hüfner1,8791.5 7.43,3742.8 8.6
PRO4750.4
IndependentErich Jaschkowski4420.4
ÖDP 1920.2
MLPD 1510.1 0.1
Informal votes2,1701,962
Total valid votes121,639121,847
Turnout123,80961.6 2.0
CDU holdMajority23,24419.1 17.8

2009 election

Federal election (2009): Burgenland – Saalekreis[6]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%Party votes%±%
CDUDieter Stier41,28133.0 3.639,77731.8 5.8
LeftRoland Claus39,61031.7 5.539,87631.9 5.3
SPD N Maik Reichel23,59218.9 12.719,51315.6 14.0
FDPWolf-Henry Dreblow11,2249.0 3.314,15311.3 2.3
NPDAndreas Karl4,3993.5 1.13,7923.0 1.2
GreensJochen Dreetz3,9503.2 1.04,7403.8 0.5
Pirates 2,5412.0
IndependentErich Jaschkowski9120.7
DVU 3800.3
MLPD 2570.2 0.1
Informal votes2,5352,474
Total valid votes124,968125,029
Turnout127,50359.6 10.6
CDU gain from SPDMajority1,6711.3

References