2009 Besmenian federal election

2009 Besmenian federal election

6 September 2009
427 seats 214 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Ursula Kummstein Franz Bauer Angelika Kahmwald Party FBBP BVP SDU Leader since 5 November 1999 18 February 2005 9 December 2005 Leader's seat Summingia Gablitz Maurenmark Percentage 28,7% 23,8% 12,8%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   File:Erik Schwan.jpg Candidate Alexander von Wiest Sebastian Bergmann Erik Schwan Party NBP GPB PBL Leader since 10 July 1990 30 October 2001 21 September 2004 Leader's seat Greuningia Metakumburg Maurenmark Percentage 11,5% 10,2% 8,9%

The 2009 Besmenian federal election in Besmenia took take place on September 6, 2009. It was the election of the 23th Federal Chamber.

Background

The FBBP-SDU coalition government formed after the 2001 Besmenian federal election lost its absolute majority in the 2005 election. After the 2005 election, the FBBP formed a joint government coalition with the BVP, the first collaboration between the two parties at the federal level.

After the SDU left the federal government, SDU chairman Rudolf Dietrich announced his resignation as party leader in November 2005. Angelika Kahmwald became his successor.

Contesting parties

Name			Ideology	Party leader	Prime Minister candidate	2005 result
						Votes (%)	Seats in the Federal Chamber
	FBBP	Free Besmenian Citizen's Party Freie Besmenische Bürgerpartei	Liberalism Social liberalism	Ursula Kummstein	Ursula Kummstein	31,2%	137 / 427
	BVP	Besmenian People's Party Besmenische Volkspartei	Christian Democracy Conservatism	Franz Bauer	Franz Bauer	26,4%	115 / 427
	SDU	Social Democratic Union Sozialdemokratische Union	Social democracy	Angelika Kahmwald	Angelika Kahmwald	13,9%	61 / 427
	NBP	National Besmenian Party Nationale Besmenische Partei	National conservatism Right-wing populism	Alexander von Wiest	Alexander von Wiest	10,5%	46 / 427
	GPB	Green Party of Besmenia Grüne Partei Besmeniens	Green politics Social liberalism	Sebastian Bergmann	Sebastian Bergmann	9,8%	43 / 427
	PBL	Party of the Besmenian Left Partei der Besmenischen Linken	Democratic Socialism Left-wing populism	Erik Schwan	Erik Schwan	5,8%	25 / 427

Campaign

TV debates

Besmenian Rundfunk's election coverage began on July 28, 2009 with a television confrontation between Franz Bauer (BVP) and Alexander von Wiest (NBP). This was the first of twelve debate programs in which the top candidates from two parliamentary parties sat face to face. Moderator Kerstin Hochmann asked the questions.

Also one week before the election, a television debate was broadcast on BRF 2 with parties that were not represented in parliament, representatives of BELP, ZAB and KPB took part.

Results

Seat ratio in the 23rd Federal Chamber

Total 427 seats

• Federal government: 234
• Opposition: 193

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Free Besmenian Citizen's Party	16,664,185	28,7	128
	Besmenian People's Party	13,819,080	23,8	106
	Social Democratic Union	7,432,110	12,8	57
	National Besmenian Party	6,677,286	11,5	51
	Green Party of Besmenia	5,922,463	10,2	45
	Party of the Besmenian Left	5,167,639	8,9	40
	Other parties	2,380,597	4,1	0
Total		58,063,364	100	427
Invalid/blank votes				–
Registered voters/turnout		63,867,842	90,91	–

Popular vote FBBP   28.7% BVP   23.8% SDU   12.8% NBP   11.5% GPB   10.2% PBL   8.9% Other parties   4.1%

Government formation

Coalitions considered	Seats
Total seats	427
Absolute majority (From 214 seats)
FBBP, BVP	234
FBBP, SDU, GPB	230