Forsa
Süddeutsche Zeitung
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Süddeutsche Zeitung
1012 respondents
The next General Election for Bavaria's Landtag is expected in 2028.
Based on the Forsa projection, the incumbent governing parties would currently secure 50.6% of the parliamentary seats.
In Bavaria, the latest national poll by Forsa shows CSU leading with 37%. They are followed by AfD: 19%, Grüne: 15%, Freie Wähler: 10%, SPD: 8%, Die Linke: 5%, FDP: 2% and BSW: 1%. Other parties secure 3% of the votes.
Forsa achieved a PolitPro Score of 83 out of 100.
On average, Forsa's figures deviate by 1.4 percentage points between their final pre-election polls and actual election results.
In 24% of polls, Forsa rated Grüne higher than the PolitPro Election Trend (average of all institutes).
In 32% of polls, Forsa rated AfD lower than the PolitPro Election Trend (average of all institutes).
In 27% of polls, Forsa rated BSW lower than the PolitPro Election Trend (average of all institutes).
In 31% of polls, Forsa rated SPD lower than the PolitPro Election Trend (average of all institutes).
The electoral threshold for the Bavarian election is 5%.
Election polls are not predictions; they are snapshots subject to statistical fluctuations. To provide a realistic picture, we daily simulate 100,000 election outcomes based on the PolitPro Election Trend using the 'Monte Carlo method'. In doing so, we factor in typical voter migration patterns and political trends. Our algorithm tests various scenarios – from minor shifts within political camps to unexpected political developments – to determine the true chances of success for parties and coalitions.
According to Forsa, 6 parties are projected to surpass the electoral threshold and enter the Bavarian parliament: CSU with 72 representatives, AfD with 36 representatives, Grüne with 29 representatives, Freie Wähler with 19 representatives, SPD with 15 representatives and Die Linke with 9 representatives.
Bavaria operates under an 'enhanced proportional representation' electoral system. A key feature is the aggregation of both first and second votes to determine seat allocation (total votes). Furthermore, voters can specifically select individual candidates from a party list with their second vote, directly influencing the ranking of elected representatives. This system significantly bolsters the personal mandate component over a pure party-list approach.
In the Free State of Bavaria, the five-percent threshold applies to the total votes cast statewide. Crucially, no basic mandate clause is in place. Historically, this has meant that parties winning direct constituencies can still fail to enter the Landtag if their statewide vote falls below 5% – a significant barrier, particularly for regional parties or smaller political groups.
For decades, Bavaria was defined by single-party rule under the CSU. Today, coalitions are the norm, typically involving the Freie Wähler (Free Voters) as a conservative partner. A distinct Bavarian characteristic is the CSU's categorical distancing from both the Greens and the AfD, which severely restricts the scope for coalition-building to the conservative bloc.