STUTTGART (dpa-AFX) - Baden-Württemberg has been governed by the Greens since 2011, and many young people there have never known life without Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens). Initially, the long-serving head of government led the state in coalition with the SPD, and since 2016, he has governed with the CDU. In the upcoming election on March 8, 2026, Kretschmann will not run again, and significant changes could be on the horizon. Here is an overview of the key questions regarding the state election.
What is being elected?
Voters will use their two crosses on the ballot paper to determine the composition of the state parliament (Landtag) for the 18th legislative period. This term lasts five years, running from 2026 to 2031. In the current Landtag, the Greens are by far the strongest force, holding 57 out of 154 seats. The CDU parliamentary group consists of 43 members. Both the SPD and FDP have 18 representatives each, while the AfD holds 17. According to the Landtag, one parliamentarian is not affiliated with any parliamentary group.
What is not being elected?
The new head of government. Voters in the state election only indirectly decide who will become the next Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg. The head of government is not directly elected by the people, but by the Landtag.
Who gets to sit in the top chair at Villa Reizenstein, the official residence of the Minister-President, still depends on who can unite the most votes in the Landtag and which coalition is formed after the election. Currently, only CDU state leader Manuel Hagel and Green lead candidate Cem Özdemir have a realistic chance at the post. The AfD is also fielding a candidate for Minister-President, state leader Markus Frohnmaier, but he has no realistic prospects since no other party is willing to form a coalition with the AfD.
What exactly does the Landtag do?
The members of the Stuttgart parliament represent the roughly eleven million residents of Baden-Württemberg and pass laws. The state is responsible for areas such as education, internal security, and justice. Additionally, the members have the final say in setting the budget, deciding in the end how the state spends the taxpayers' money. They also oversee the government and elect the Minister-President.
Who is eligible to vote?
According to estimates by the State Statistical Office, about 7.7 million people are eligible to vote in the state election. Eligible voters are German citizens who are at least 16 years old on election day and have had their main residence in Baden-Württemberg for at least three months. New this year: until now, young people could only vote from age 18. Due to a change in the electoral law, 16- and 17-year-olds are now also allowed to cast their votes.
How is the election conducted?
In the election on March 8, 2026, voters will, for the first time, be able to mark two crosses—rather than just one as before—due to a change in the electoral law. The process now works similarly to federal elections: with the first vote, eligible voters choose a candidate to represent their constituency in the new Landtag. With the second vote, they select a party's state list. This second vote ultimately determines how many seats each party receives in the new Landtag—and is therefore the more important one, as it decides the balance of power in parliament.
Who is running?
The CDU is fielding its state leader Hagel. The 37-year-old has been the party’s parliamentary leader in the Landtag since 2021 and, if victorious, would become the youngest Minister-President in Baden-Württemberg’s history.
The Greens are running Özdemir as their lead candidate. The 60-year-old has been active in politics for decades, serving as a member of the Bundestag and the European Parliament, Green party leader, Federal Minister of Agriculture, and, after the collapse of the “traffic light” coalition, briefly as Federal Minister of Education.
For many months, the CDU was well ahead in the polls. However, just days before the election, the Greens have caught up significantly in several surveys, closing the gap to within one or two percentage points, depending on the poll.
The SPD is entering the race with state and parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch, while the FDP’s state list is led by state and parliamentary group leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke. The AfD is fielding Bundestag member Frohnmaier, who is not running for a seat in the Landtag. He would only move to Baden-Württemberg if he became Minister-President—which is virtually impossible. The Left Party also has a chance to enter parliament for the first time, running with a trio of lead candidates.
What are the key issues?
According to polls, the top priority for voters is the economic situation in the southwest. Almost weekly, major industrial giants such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, or ZF announce job cuts. The parties are also heavily focusing on this issue in their campaigns—the economy is a central theme in every party program. The second most important issue for people remains immigration, followed by housing and rent./dna/DP/zb
