2017 Saarland state election

The 2017 Saarland state election was held on 26 March 2017 to elect the members of the Landtag of Saarland. The incumbent grand coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) led by Minister-President Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was returned with an increased majority.

2017 Saarland state election
26 March 2017
All 51 seats in the Landtag of Saarland
26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout533,783 (69.7%)
8.1%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer Anke Rehlinger
Party CDU SPD
Leader since 28 May 2011 18 June 2016
Last election 19 seats, 35.2% 17 seats, 30.6%
Seats won 24 17
Seat change 5 0
Popular vote 217,263 158,057
Percentage 40.7% 29.6%
Swing 5.5% 1.0%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Oskar Lafontaine Rudolf Müller
Party Left AfD
Leader since 9 August 2008 16 September 2016
Last election 9 seats, 16.1% Did not exist
Seats won 7 3
Seat change 2 3
Popular vote 68,566 32,971
Percentage 12.8% 6.2%
Swing 3.3% New party
Government before election

Second Kramp-Karrenbauer cabinet
CDU–SPD

 Government after election

Third Kramp-Karrenbauer cabinet
CDU–SPD

Even though the Saarland is the second smallest state by population and does not represent Germany as a whole demographically, the election proved to be of pivotal importance to the following state elections and in particular the federal election later that year. Then-SPD leader Martin Schulz led the party to new heights in early 2017 and polls showed the SPD capturing the Minister-President's office in this first election of the year, but the upset CDU victory marked the beginning of a decline in the polls both nationally and in other state elections. This decline culminated in heavy losses for the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia and, ultimately, in the 2017 German federal election.

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