West Berlin state election, 1975

The election to the Berlin House of Representatives occurred on March 2, 1975. The election campaign was marked by the kidnapping of the CDU top candidate, Peter Lorenz. Lorenz was kidnapped three days before the election by the 2nd of June Movement who demanded the release of six of their comrades. This left incumbent SPD mayor Klaus Schütz in the somewhat awkward position of having to determine, so to speak, the life of his challenger. After the federal government gave in to the demands by the 2nd of June Movement, Peter Lorenz was released two days after the election.

In the election the SPD lost 7.8 percentage points in the election, and with 42.6% of the vote lost its absolute majority that it had held since 1954. The election results gave the power of determining the governing coalition to the FDP. After negotiations, incumbent SPD mayor Klaus Schütz was able to be re-elected at the head of an SPD-FDP government.

Summary of the results of the 2 March 1975 election to Berlin's Abgeordnetenhaus

 
Parties Votes % +/- Seats +/-
Christian Democratic Union 604,007 43.9% +5.7% 69 +15
Social Democratic Party of Germany 585,605 42.6% -7.8% 67 -6
Free Democratic Party 97,969 7.1% -1.3% 11 -
Confederation of Free Germany 46,691 3.4% +3.4% 0
Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin 25,105 1.8% -0.5% 0
Communist Party of Germany 10,125 0.7% +0.7% 0
Other Parties 6,020 0.5% -0.1% 0
Total 1,387,471 100% 147 +10
Source
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