title: Cottbus – Spree-Neiße
text: # Cottbus – Spree-Neiße
  
  Cottbus – Spree-Neiße 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 64. It is located in southeastern Brandenburg, comprising the independent city of Cottbus and the district of Spree-Neiße.
  
  Cottbus – Spree-Neiße was created for the inaugural 1990 federal election after German reunification. Since 2021, it has been represented by Maja Wallstein of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
  
  ## Geography
  
  Cottbus – Spree-Neiße is located in eastern Brandenburg. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the independent city of Cottbus and the district of Spree-Neiße.
  
  ## History
  
  Cottbus – Spree-Neiße was created after German reunification in 1990, then known as Cottbus – Guben – Forst. It acquired its current name in the 2002 election. In the 1990 through 1998 elections, it was constituency 280 in the numbering system. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 64. In the 2009 election, it was number 65. Since the 2013 election, it has been number 64.
  
  Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Cottbus and the districts of Guben and Forst. It acquired its current configuration and borders in the 2002 election.
  
  | Election | No. | Name | Borders |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1990 | 280 | Cottbus – Guben – Forst | Cottbus city Guben district Forst district |
  | 1994 | 280 | Cottbus – Guben – Forst | Cottbus city Guben district Forst district |
  | 1998 | 280 | Cottbus – Guben – Forst | Cottbus city Guben district Forst district |
  | 2002 | 64 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  | 2005 | 64 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  | 2009 | 65 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  | 2013 | 64 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  | 2017 | 64 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  | 2021 | 64 | Cottbus – Spree-Neiße | Cottbus city Spree-Neiße district |
  
  ## Members
  
  The constituency was first represented by Michael Wonneberger of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1990 to 1994. Werner Labsch of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was elected in 1994 and served until 2002, followed by Wilfried Schreck from 2002 to 2005 and Steffen Reiche from 2005 to 2009. Wolfgang Nešković of The Left won the constituency in 2009. After leaving the party and becoming an independent in 2012, he was defeated seeking re-election in 2013. Klaus-Peter Schulze of the CDU was elected in 2013. Maja Wallstein regained the constituency for the SPD in 2021.
  
  | Election | Member | Party | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1990 | Michael Wonneberger | CDU | 40.2 |
  | 1994 | Werner Labsch | SPD | 41.5 |
  | 1998 | Werner Labsch | SPD | 43.5 |
  | 2002 | Wilfried Schreck | SPD | 43.4 |
  | 2005 | Steffen Reiche | SPD | 37.6 |
  | 2009 | Wolfgang Nešković | LINKE | 30.0 |
  | 2009 | Wolfgang Nešković | Ind. | 30.0 |
  | 2013 | Klaus-Peter Schulze | CDU | 36.0 |
  | 2017 | Klaus-Peter Schulze | CDU | 28.4 |
  | 2021 | Maja Wallstein | SPD | 27.6 |
  
  ## Election results
  
  ### 2021 election
  
  Federal election (2021): Cottbus – Spree-Neiße :
  
  | Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
  | | SPD | Maja Wallstein | Maja Wallstein | 34,882 | 27.6 | 10.6 | 36,098 | 28.5 | 13.4 |
  | | AfD | Daniel Münschke | Daniel Münschke | 32,530 | 25.7 | 0.5 | 30,729 | 24.3 | 2.6 |
  | | CDU | Markus Niggemann | Markus Niggemann | 21,072 | 16.7 | 11.7 | 17,502 | 13.8 | 10.3 |
  | | FDP | Laura Schieritz | Laura Schieritz | 11,400 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 13,603 | 10.7 | 3.1 |
  | | Left | Christian Görke | Christian Görke | 11,156 | 8.8 | 6.9 | 9,670 | 7.6 | 8.9 |
  | | Greens | Heide Schinowsky | Heide Schinowsky | 4,662 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 6,939 | 5.5 | 2.3 |
  | | FW | Andreas Richter | Andreas Richter | 3,375 | 2.7 | | 2,818 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
  | | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 2,516 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
  | | PARTEI | Michael Matschke | Michael Matschke | 2,943 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 1,593 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
  | | dieBasis | Lysann Kobbe | Lysann Kobbe | 2,779 | 2.2 | | 2,212 | 1.7 | |
  | | Unabhängige | Ingo Weidelt | Ingo Weidelt | 1,140 | 0.9 | | 899 | 0.7 | |
  | | NPD | | | | | | 423 | 0.3 | 0.8 |
  | | Pirates | | | | | | 392 | 0.3 | |
  | | Volt | | | | | | 347 | 0.3 | |
  | | Team Todenhöfer | | | | | | 276 | 0.2 | |
  | | DKP | Gisela Vierrath | Gisela Vierrath | 424 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 218 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
  | | Humanists | | | | | | 128 | 0.1 | |
  | | ÖDP | | | | | | 123 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
  | | MLPD | | | | | | 79 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,960 | | | 1,768 | | |
  | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 126,363 | | | 126,555 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 128,323 | 74.9 | 1.0 | | | |
  | | SPD gain from CDU | SPD gain from CDU | Majority | 2,352 | 1.9 | | | | |
  
  ### 2017 election
  
  Federal election (2017): Cottbus – Spree-Neiße :
  
  | Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
  | | CDU | Y Klaus-Peter Schulze | Y Klaus-Peter Schulze | 36,855 | 28.4 | 7.5 | 31,366 | 24.1 | 11.6 |
  | | AfD | Marianne Spring-Räumschüssel | Marianne Spring-Räumschüssel | 32,776 | 25.3 | | 34,905 | 26.8 | 19.9 |
  | | SPD | Ulrich Freese | Ulrich Freese | 22,019 | 17.0 | 7.0 | 19,729 | 15.2 | 6.5 |
  | | Left | Birgit Kaufhold | Birgit Kaufhold | 20,359 | 15.7 | 4.3 | 21,456 | 16.5 | 6.1 |
  | | FDP | Jeff Staudacher | Jeff Staudacher | 7,426 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 9,941 | 7.6 | 5.2 |
  | | Greens | Wolfgang Renner | Wolfgang Renner | 4,319 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 4,093 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
  | | PARTEI | Torsten Mack | Torsten Mack | 3,212 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1,898 | 1.5 | |
  | | Tierschutzpartei | | | | | | 2,401 | 1.8 | |
  | | Independent | Helmut Fleischhauer | Helmut Fleischhauer | 2,256 | 1.7 | | | | |
  | | NPD | | | | | | 1,437 | 1.1 | 2.0 |
  | | FW | | | | | | 1,106 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
  | | BGE | | | | | | 584 | 0.4 | |
  | | DKP | Gisela Vierrath | Gisela Vierrath | 501 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 296 | 0.2 | |
  | | DM | | | | | | 488 | 0.4 | |
  | | ÖDP | | | | | | 204 | 0.2 | |
  | | MLPD | | | | | | 124 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,390 | | | 2,085 | | |
  | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 129,723 | | | 130,028 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 132,113 | 73.9 | 6.7 | | | |
  | | CDU hold | CDU hold | Majority | 4,079 | 3.1 | 8.9 | | | |
  
  ### 2013 election
  
  Federal election (2013): Cottbus – Spree-Neiße :
  
  | Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
  | | CDU | Klaus-Peter Schulze | Klaus-Peter Schulze | 44,301 | 35.9 | 11.9 | 44,230 | 35.8 | 11.4 |
  | | SPD | Ulrich Freese | Ulrich Freese | 29,510 | 23.9 | 3.9 | 26,863 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
  | | Left | Birgit Wöllert | Birgit Wöllert | 24,681 | 20.0 | 10.0 | 27,965 | 22.6 | 6.7 |
  | | Independent | N Wolfgang Nešković | N Wolfgang Nešković | 9,999 | 8.1 | | | | |
  | | AfD | | | | | | 8,555 | 6.9 | |
  | | NPD | Ronny Zasowk | Ronny Zasowk | 4,929 | 4.0 | 0.1 | 3,897 | 3.2 | 0.1 |
  | | Greens | Wolfgang Renner | Wolfgang Renner | 3,278 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 4,382 | 3.5 | 1.3 |
  | | Pirates | Sascha Kahle | Sascha Kahle | 2,889 | 2.3 | | 2,615 | 2.1 | 0.8 |
  | | FDP | Martin Neumann | Martin Neumann | 2,498 | 2.0 | 6.7 | 2,984 | 2.4 | 6.6 |
  | | FW | | | | | | 1,355 | 1.1 | |
  | | PARTEI | | | | | | 901 | 0.7 | |
  | | PRO | | | | | | 525 | 0.4 | |
  | | DKP | Sebastian Zachow-Vierrath | Sebastian Zachow-Vierrath | 245 | 0.2 | | | | |
  | | REP | | | | | | 204 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
  | | MLPD | | | | | | 138 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,689 | | | 2,207 | | |
  | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 123,231 | | | 123,713 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 125,920 | 67.3 | 2.0 | | | |
  | | CDU gain from Left | CDU gain from Left | Majority | 14,791 | 12.0 | | | | |
  
  ### 2009 election
  
  Federal election (2009): Cottbus – Spree-Neiße :
  
  | Notes: | Notes: | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. | Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list. Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Party votes | % | ±% |
  | | Left | Wolfgang Nešković | Wolfgang Nešković | 37,224 | 30.0 | 2.8 | 36,561 | 29.3 | 1.8 |
  | | SPD | N Steffen Reiche | N Steffen Reiche | 34,529 | 27.9 | 9.8 | 29,999 | 24.1 | 11.8 |
  | | CDU | Mario Laurischk | Mario Laurischk | 29,829 | 24.1 | 2.1 | 30,360 | 24.4 | 4.4 |
  | | FDP | Martin Neumann | Martin Neumann | 10,878 | 8.8 | 3.2 | 11,230 | 9.0 | 2.1 |
  | | Greens | Matthias Fobo | Matthias Fobo | 5,650 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 6,093 | 4.9 | 0.6 |
  | | NPD | Ronny Zasowk | Ronny Zasowk | 4,806 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 3,765 | 3.0 | 0.4 |
  | | Pirates | | | | | | 3,636 | 2.9 | |
  | | DVU | | | | | | 1,169 | 0.9 | |
  | | FWD | | | | | | 1,055 | 0.8 | |
  | | REP | | | | | | 344 | 0.3 | |
  | | BüSo | | | | | | 258 | 0.2 | |
  | | MLPD | | | | | | 179 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 4,218 | | | 3,530 | | |
  | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | Total Valid votes | 123,961 | | | 124,649 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 128,179 | 65.3 | 8.1 | | | |
  | | Left gain from SPD | Left gain from SPD | Majority | 2,695 | 2.1 | | | | |
  