Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein

The Schleswig-Holstein Landtag is the state parliament of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It meets in the state's capital, Kiel, and has 69 members from five different parties. Right now, the group in charge is made up of the Christian Democratic Union and the Greens, and they help the Minister President, Daniel Günther, lead the state.

The Landtag also works together with other parliaments, like the one in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Oblast Duma of the Kaliningrad Oblast, and the parliament of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. These partnerships help share ideas and support between different regions.

Location

Since 1950, the Landtag has met in the Landeshaus building in Kiel. This building was originally built in 1888 as the Royal Marine Academy. During the Nazi era, it was used by the German Navy's Baltic Sea Command. Before 1950, the Landtag met in Lübeck, Flensburg, Eckernförde, and Kiel. After a renovation in 2003, the Landtag now uses a new meeting room in the Landeshaus.

Electoral system

The Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein is chosen using a special voting system called mixed-member proportional representation. Voters have two votes: one for a local candidate and one for a party. This helps make sure that parties get seats based on how many votes they receive.

There are always at least 69 members in the Landtag. Sometimes, extra seats are added to keep the balance fair for all parties. Parties need to get at least 5% of the votes to win seats, but some smaller groups, like those representing Danish or Frisian communities, can still get seats if they win enough votes.

Presidents of the Landtag

The Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein has had many leaders over the years. Here are some of the people who have served as presidents:

• 1946    Paul Husfeldt, Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
• 1946 – 1954 Karl Ratz, Social Democratic Party (SPD)
• 1954 – 1959 Walther Böttcher, CDU
• 1959 – 1964 Claus-Joachim von Heydebreck, CDU
• 1964 – 1971 Paul Rohloff, CDU
• 1971 – 1983 Helmut Lemke, CDU
• 1983 – 1987 Rudolf Titzck, CDU
• 1987 – 1992 Lianne Paulina-Mürl, SPD
• 1992 – 1996 Ute Erdsiek-Rave, SPD
• 1996 – 2005 Heinz-Werner Arens, SPD
• 2005 – 2009 Martin Kayenburg, CDU
• 2009 – 2012 Torsten Geerdts, CDU
• 2012 – 2022 Klaus Schlie, CDU
• Since 7 June 2022: Kristina Herbst, CDU