Government and politics in Bavaria, Germany: official figures
Dr. Markus Söder (CSU) heads the government of Bavaria as Minister-President; the Bundesrat lists the office as "Bayerischer Ministerpräsident" (October 2026).
Which parties govern Bavaria?
Bavaria is governed by a coalition: the 18 members of its state government who sit in the Bundesrat as full or deputy members belong to the CSU (13), Free Voters (Freie Wähler) (5).
Source: Bundesrat · saved copyWhen is the next state election in Bavaria?
The next election to the Bavaria Landtag (state parliament) is expected in autumn 2028; the Landtag is elected for 5 years.
Source: Bundesrat · saved copyHow many women are in the Bavaria state parliament?
Women held 25.6% of the seats in the Bavaria state parliament in 2026, the lowest of 16 Länder; in 2004 the share was 28.5%.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyWhat was the turnout in Bavaria at the 2025 federal election?
At the February 2025 Bundestag election, valid second votes cast in Bavaria equalled 84.1% of its registered voters, the highest of 16 Länder (Germany: 82.1%).
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyMore figures
- At the 2024 European Parliament election, valid votes in Bavaria equalled 65.2% of registered voters, compared with 64.2% across Germany. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
How Bavaria compares with other states
Women as a share of state parliament members (2026)
Bavaria ranks 16 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Women as a share of state parliament members |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Thuringia | 33.0% |
| 11 | Hesse | 32.3% |
| 12 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 30.5% |
| 13 | Saxony-Anhalt | 27.8% |
| 14 | Brandenburg | 27.3% |
| 15 | Saxony | 27.3% |
| 16 | Bavaria | 25.6% |
Valid second votes as a share of registered voters, Bundestag election 2025 (2025)
Bavaria ranks 1 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Valid second votes as a share of registered voters, Bundestag election 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavaria | 84.1% |
| 2 | Schleswig-Holstein | 83.1% |
| 3 | Lower Saxony | 83.0% |
| 4 | Baden-Württemberg | 83.0% |
| 5 | Hesse | 82.5% |
| 6 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 82.3% |
| 7 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 81.7% |
Valid votes as a share of registered voters, European election 2024 (2024)
Bavaria ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Valid votes as a share of registered voters, European election 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 65.7% |
| 5 | Baden-Württemberg | 65.6% |
| 6 | Hamburg | 65.4% |
| 7 | Bavaria | 65.2% |
| 8 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 64.5% |
| 9 | Schleswig-Holstein | 64.0% |
| 10 | Lower Saxony | 63.8% |
More on Bavaria: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Germany
Sources
- Bundesrat: Landesparlamente: Termine der Landtagswahlen, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fbab94295619…)
- Bundesrat: Mitglieder des Bundesrates (alle Mitglieder), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cef44d224cf8…)
- Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren): Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren der Länder: Tabellenband mit kompletten Zeitreihen zu allen Indikatoren (October 2026 edition), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f3f1b692389…)
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