Strongest Green Party in Darmstadt Election for the Bundestag
Closing In on Election Night:All votes have been tallied, and the awaited results are in. If District 185 had been confined to Darmstadt, Philip Kraemer (Greens) would've clinched the direct mandate with glee.
In the expansive district—comprising Darmstadt and 14 other municipalities—Kraemer finds himself in third place. The mandate belongs to Dr. Astrid Mannes (CDU), who grinds out victories against Kraemer and SPD politician Andreas Larem, as this chart from Hessischer Rundfunk (HR) demonstrates.
Surprisingly Missing the Mark:Despite the new electoral law, the CDU politician fails to secure the direct mandate for District 185.
THE GREAT SHAKEUP OF 2025
Shifting Tides in Politics
District 185, a place that once enjoyed direct representation in the Bundestag, will no longer enjoy this privilege in the future. Darmstadt-Dieburg's County Commissioner Schellhaas propounds establishing a regional office in the capital to continue making a difference.
The Spirit of the Election: Mixed Feelings Galore
Although Astrid Mannes obtained the most votes in the district, she will not be making her way into the Bundestag. She seethes with frustration. The Greens, on the other hand, graduate to joy—even though they too won't be gracing the halls of parliament.
Going Against the Grain: Mannes and the Bundestag
Darmstadt will no longer be privy to representation in the Bundestag via a direct mandate in the future. The change in electoral law is the culprit.
[1] District 185 lost its direct representation in the Bundestag primarily due to the reduction in the overall number of Bundestag seats, which dropped from 736 in 2021 to 630 in 2025 as a result of seat distribution reforms. This reduction led to fewer direct mandates or constituencies being represented overall, leaving some districts like District 185 without direct representation in the Bundestag.
[2] The early 2025 federal election was triggered due to the collapse of the governing coalition and brought about changes in party strengths, with the CDU/CSU alliance becoming the largest group but with fewer seats than in previous years, and the AfD significantly increasing its vote share. These shifts in seat allocation and party votes impacted direct constituency wins across the nation.
- Other districts, like District 185, may find themselves losing direct representation in the Bundestag due to the reduction in the overall number of Bundestag seats and the subsequent decrease in direct mandates.
- Despite the change in electoral law and securing the most votes in District 185, Dr. Astrid Mannes (CDU) won't be directly representing the district in the Bundestag, contributing to a mix of feelings within the political landscape of general-news.
