The Bavaria Party (German: Bayernpartei, BP) is an autonomist,[3] regionalist[4] and conservative[2] political party in the state of Bavaria, Germany. The party was founded in 1946, describes itself as patriotic Bavarian and advocates Bavarian independence within the European Union. Together with the Christian Social Union (CSU), it can be seen as an heir to the Bavarian People's Party (BVP) which existed prior to the Nazi takeover. The party is a member of the European Free Alliance.[5]

Bavaria Party
Bayernpartei
LeaderFlorian Weber
Founded28 October 1946
Preceded byBavarian People's Party
(not legal predecessor)
HeadquartersMunich, Bavaria
Youth wingYoung Bavarian Federation
Membership6,000 (2021)[1]
IdeologyBavarian nationalism
Bavarian independence
Regionalism
Conservatism[2]
Christian democracy
Political positionCentre-right
European affiliationEuropean Free Alliance
ColoursWhite, Blue
Bundestag
0 / 736
Landtag of Bavaria
0 / 203
European Parliament
0 / 96
Bezirktags (Bavaria)
4 / 238
Party flag
Website
www.bayernpartei.de

History

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The party had some successes at the polls in the late 1940s and 1950s: 20.9% of the votes in Bavaria in 1949 and 17 seats in the German Bundestag and, in 1950, 17.9% and 39 seats in the Bavarian state parliament where in 1954 it formed a coalition with the Bavarian branches of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). This forced the Christian Social Union (CSU) out of power for three years.

Later, mainly caused by the casino affair, which was influenced by the CSU and its general secretary Friedrich Zimmermann, the Bavaria Party rapidly lost voters. It still exists but was last elected to the Bavarian state parliament in 1962.

In the 2008 local elections, however, the party won 50 seats (compared to 32 in 2002), mostly in Upper Bavaria, including one of the 80 seats in the City Council of Munich, the capital of Bavaria, after 42 years of absence there. The Bavaria Party won one seat in the District Parliament of Upper Bavaria.[6]

Chairman

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The current chairman of the party is Florian Weber from Bad Aibling in Upper Bavaria.

Elections

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In the 2018 elections for the Bavarian Parliament the BP reached 1.7% of the voters' share. In 2013 they had gained 2.1%, the best result for the Bavaria Party since 1966.[7]

After the elections of 2018, the Bavaria Party is represented in three administrative regions of Bavaria:

Election results

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Results from 1946

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Year Bavarian election (Landtag)
Total
German election (Bundestag)
in Bavaria
European Parliament
2023 0.9%    
2021   0.4%  
2019     0.9%
2018 1.7%    
2017   0.8%  
2014     1.3%
2013 2.1% 0.9%  
2009   0.7% 1.0%
2008 1.1%    
2005   0.5%  
2004     1.0%
2003 0.8%    
2002   0.1%  
1999     0.4%
1998 0.7% 0.4%  
1994 1.0% 0.6% 1.6%
1990 0.8% 0.5%  
1989     0.8%
1987   0.4%  
1986 0.6%    
1984     0.6%
1982 0.5%    
1978 0.4%    
1974 0.8%    
1970 1.3%    
1969   0.9%  
1966 3.4%    
1962 4.8%    
1958 8.1%    
1954 13.2%    
1953   9.2%  
1950 17.9%    
1949   20.9%  

Landtag of Bavaria

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Election year # of
constituency votes
# of
party list votes
% of
overall votes
# of
overall seats won
+/–
2003 44,572 32,818 0.8
0 / 180
 
2008 60,815 55,649 1.1  
0 / 187
 
2013 137,323 110,177 2.1  
0 / 180
 
2018 122,417 109,513 1.7  
0 / 180
 
2023 72,325 57,155 0.9  
0 / 180
 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bildung, Bundeszentrale für politische (2 September 2021). "Bayernpartei (BP) - bpb". bpb.de.
  2. ^ a b Nachum, Iris; Schaefer, Sagi (14 December 2017). "The Semantics of Political Integration: Public Debates about the Term 'Expellees' in Post-War Western Germany". Contemporary European History. 27: 42–58. doi:10.1017/S096077731700042X. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ Jason Sorens (2012). Secessionism: Identity, Interest, and Strategy. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7735-3896-2.
  4. ^ Daniele Caramani (2004). The Nationalization of Politics: The Formation of National Electorates and Party Systems in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 303. ISBN 978-0-521-53520-5.
  5. ^ "Member Parties". e-f-a.org.
  6. ^ European Free Allianz, Bavaria Party local election Archived September 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Landtagswahl 2013 - Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung". Landtagswahl2013.bayern.de. 2002-07-01. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  8. ^ Bezirk Oberbayern - Wahlteam. "Bezirkstagswahl Oberbayern". Bezirkstagswahl-oberbayern.de. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  9. ^ "Bezirkswahl in Niederbayern: Fotos der neuen Bezirksräte". Pnp.de. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  10. ^ "Bezirkstagswahl: BP vervielfacht Mandate | Bayernpartei". Landesverband.bayernpartei.de. Archived from the original on 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
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