Saarlouis 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 297. It is located in western Saarland, comprising the Merzig-Wadern district and most of the district of Saarlouis district.
Saarlouis was created for the inaugural 1957 federal election after the accession of Saarland to Germany. From 2021 to 2025, it was represented by Heiko Maas of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Philipp Hofmann of the CDU.
Geography Saarlouis is located in western Saarland. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the Merzig-Wadern district and the Saarlouis district excluding the Lebach and Schmelz municipalities.
History Saarlouis was created in 1957, then known as Saarlouis – Merzig. It acquired its current name in the 1965 election. In the 1957 and 1961 elections, it was constituency 245 in the numbering system. In the 1965 through 1998 elections, it was number 246. Since the 2002 election, it has been number 297.
Originally, the constituency comprised the Merzig-Wadern district and the Saarlouis district excluding the Ämter of Bous/Saar, Lebach, Schmelz, and Wadgassen. In the 1965 through 1972 elections, it lost the municipality of Schwalbach from the Saarlouis district. In the 1976 through 1998 elections, it acquired a configuration similar to its current borders, but lacking the municipalities of Bous, Ensdorf, Schwalbach, and Wadgassen from the Saarlouis district. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1957 245 Saarlouis – Merzig Merzig-Wadern district Saarlouis district (excluding Bous/Saar, Lebach, Schmelz, and Wadgassen Ämter) 1961 1965 246 Saarlouis Merzig-Wadern district Saarlouis district (excluding Schwalbach municipality and Bous/Saar, Lebach, Schmelz, and Wadgassen Ämter) 1969 1972 1976 Merzig-Wadern district Saarlouis district (excluding Bous, Ensdorf, Lebach, Schmelz, Schwalbach, and Wadgassen municipalities) 1980 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 297 Merzig-Wadern district Saarlouis district (excluding Lebach and Schmelz municipalities) 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Members The constituency was first represented by Albert Baldauf of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1957 to 1965, followed by fellow CDU member from 1965 to 1976. Hans-Werner Müller of the CDU was then representative from 1976 to 1990. Ottmar Schreiner of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1990 and served until 2009. Peter Altmaier of the CDU was representative from 2009 to 2021. Heiko Maas won the constituency for the SPD in 2021.
Election Member Party % 1957 Albert Baldauf CDU 44.4 1961 58.2 1965 CDU 54.2 1969 53.4 1972 48.6 1976 Hans-Werner Müller CDU 50.4 1980 47.5 1983 51.2 1987 45.6 1990 Ottmar Schreiner SPD 50.0 1994 49.0 1998 55.1 2002 50.6 2005 40.4 2009 Peter Altmaier CDU 37.5 2013 44.5 2017 38.0 2021 Heiko Maas SPD 36.7 2025 Philip Hoffmann CDU 31.8
Election results
2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References