Bayreuth 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 236. It is located in northern Bavaria, comprising the city of Bayreuth, the Landkreis Bayreuth district, and the eastern part of the Forchheim district.
Bayreuth was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. Since 2017, it has been represented by Silke Launert of the Christian Social Union (CSU).
Geography Bayreuth is located in northern Bavaria. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the independent city of Bayreuth, the Landkreis Bayreuth district, and the municipalities of Egloffstein, Gößweinstein, Obertrubach, Pretzfeld, and Wiesenttal and Verwaltungsgemeinschaften of Ebermannstadt and Gräfenberg from the Forchheim district.
History Bayreuth was created in 1949. In the 1949 election, it was Bavaria constituency 25 in the numbering system. In the 1953 through 1961 elections, it was number 220. In the 1965 through 1998 elections, it was number 223. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 238. In the 2009 through 2021 elections, it was number 237. From the 2025 election, it has been number 236.
Originally, the constituency comprised the independent cities of Bayreuth and Marktredwitz and the districts of Landkreis Bayreuth and Wunsiedel. In the 1965 through 1972 elections, it also contained the Pegnitz district. In the 1976 through 1998 elections, it comprised the city of Bayreuth and Landkreis Bayreuth district. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Bayreuth Bayreuth city Marktredwitz city Landkreis Bayreuth district Wunsiedel district 1953 220 1957 1961 1965 223 Bayreuth city Marktredwitz city Landkreis Bayreuth district Wunsiedel district Pegnitz district 1969 1972 1976 Bayreuth city Landkreis Bayreuth district 1980 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 238 Bayreuth city Landkreis Bayreuth district Forchheim district (only Egloffstein, Gößweinstein, Obertrubach, Pretzfeld, and Wiesenttal municipalities and Ebermannstadt and Gräfenberg Verwaltungsgemeinschaften) 2005 2009 237 2013 2017 2021 2025 236
Members The constituency was first represented by of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 1949 to 1953, followed by fellow SPD member from 1953 to 1957. of the Christian Social Union (CSU) won it in 1957, but former member Hauffe regained it for the SPD in 1961. Former member Schlee was then elected in 1965 and 1969. of the SPD was elected in 1972 and served a single term. Heinz Starke of the CSU was representative from 1976 to 1980, followed by from 1980 to 1994. Hartmut Koschyk of the CSU then served from 1994 to 2017. Silke Launert of the CSU was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 and 2025.
Election Member Party % 1949 SPD 39.7 1953 SPD 40.0 1957 CSU 43.7 1961 SPD 43.1 1965 CSU 48.0 1969 46.4 1972 SPD 48.6 1976 Heinz Starke CSU 55.1 1980 CSU 55.6 1983 61.6 1987 57.3 1990 54.9 1994 Hartmut Koschyk CSU 46.0 1998 50.6 2002 60.7 2005 56.1 2009 50.9 2013 55.9 2017 Silke Launert CSU 46.5 2021 42.4 2025 44.5
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References