Steinfurt III is an electoral constituency (German: Wahlkreis) represented in the Bundestag. It elects one member via first-past-the-post voting. Under the current constituency numbering system, it is designated as constituency 127. It is located in northern North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the eastern part of the Steinfurt district.
Steinfurt III was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2013, it has been represented by Anja Karliczek of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Geography Steinfurt III is located in northern North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the municipalities of Emsdetten, Greven, Hörstel, Hopsten, Ibbenbüren, Ladbergen, Lengerich, Lienen, Lotte, Mettingen, Recke, Saerbeck, Tecklenburg, and Westerkappeln from the Steinfurt district.
History Steinfurt III was created in 1949, then known as Steinfurt – Tecklenburg. From 1965 through 1976, it was named Tecklenburg. From 1980 through 1998, it was named Steinfurt II. It acquired its current name in the 2002 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 36 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 95. From 1965 through 1976, it was number 93. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 98. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 129. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 128. From the 2025 election, it has been number 127.
Originally, the constituency comprised the districts of Steinfurt and Tecklenburg. From 1965 through 1976, it was coterminous with the Tecklenburg district. In the 1980 through 1998 elections, it comprised the municipalities of Emsdetten, Greven, Hörstel, Hopsten, Ibbenbüren, Ladbergen, Lengerich, Lienen, Lotte, Mettingen, Recke, Rheine, Saerbeck, Tecklenburg, and Westerkappeln from the Steinfurt district. In the 2002 election, it lost the municipality of Rheine.
Election Name Borders 1949 Steinfurt – Tecklenburg Steinfurt district Tecklenburg district 1953 95 1957 1961 1965 93 Tecklenburg Tecklenburg district 1969 1972 1976 1980 98 Steinfurt II Steinfurt district (only Emsdetten, Greven, Hörstel, Hopsten, Ibbenbüren, Ladbergen, Lengerich, Lienen, Lotte, Mettingen, Recke, Rheine, Saerbeck, Tecklenburg, and Westerkappeln municipalities) 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 129 Steinfurt III Steinfurt district (only Emsdetten, Greven, Hörstel, Hopsten, Ibbenbüren, Ladbergen, Lengerich, Lienen, Lotte, Mettingen, Recke, Saerbeck, Tecklenburg, and Westerkappeln municipalities) 2005 2009 2013 128 2017 2021 2025 127
Members The constituency was first represented by Georg Pelster of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1949 to 1961, followed by fellow CDU member Franz Falke for a single term. Wilhelm Rawe of the CDU was then representative from 1965 to 1980. Gottfried Köster was elected in 1980, and succeeded by Constantin Heereman von Zuydtwyck in 1983. Karl-Josef Laumann then served a single term from 1990 to 1994. Reinhold Hemker of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1994 and served until 2009, when Dieter Jasper of the CDU became representative. Anja Karliczek was elected in 2013, and re-elected in 2017, 2021 and 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 Georg Pelster CDU 36.9 1953 61.9 1957 60.8 1961 Franz Falke CDU 59.0 1965 Wilhelm Rawe CDU 59.2 1969 57.0 1972 50.2 1976 52.4 1980 Gottfried Köster CDU 46.0 1983 Constantin Heereman von Zuydtwyck CDU 53.7 1987 45.6 1990 Karl-Josef Laumann CDU 44.8 1994 Reinhold Hemker SPD 45.1 1998 50.3 2002 47.2 2005 46.5 2009 Dieter Jasper CDU 43.3 2013 Anja Karliczek CDU 47.9 2017 44.8 2021 34.0 2025 37.9
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
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