Recklinghausen II 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 121. It is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, comprising the northern and eastern part of the Recklinghausen district.
Recklinghausen II was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2021 to 2025, it was represented by Brian Nickholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Lars Ehm of the CDU.
Geography Recklinghausen II is located in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the municipalities of Datteln, Haltern am See, Herten, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick from the Recklinghausen district.
History Recklinghausen II was created in 1949, then known as Recklinghausen-Land. From 1980 through 1987, it was named Recklinghausen II. From 1990 through 1998, it was named Recklinghausen II – Borken I. It acquired its current name in the 2002 election. In the 1949 election, it was North Rhine-Westphalia constituency 41 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 100. From 1965 through 1976, it was number 99. From 1980 through 1998, it was number 92. From 2002 through 2009, it was number 123. In the 2013 through 2021 elections, it was number 122. From the 2025 election, it has been number 121.
Originally, the constituency was coterminous with the Recklinghausen district. From 1965 through 1976, it comprised the municipalities of Dorsten, Herten, Kirchhellen, Marl, and Westerholt from the Recklinghausen district. From 1980 through 1987, it comprised the municipalities of Datteln, Dorsten, Haltern am See, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick. In the 1990 and 1994 elections, it acquired the municipalities of Heiden and Reken from the Borken district. In the 1998 election, it also acquired Raesfeld from the Borken district. It acquired its current borders in the 2002 election.
Election Name Borders 1949 Recklinghausen-Land Recklinghausen district 1953 100 1957 1961 1965 99 Recklinghausen city Recklinghausen district (only Dorsten, Herten, Kirchhellen, Marl, and Westerholt municipalities) 1969 1972 1976 1980 92 Recklinghausen II Recklinghausen district (only Datteln, Dorsten, Haltern am See, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick municipalities) 1983 1987 1990 Recklinghausen II – Borken I Recklinghausen district (only Datteln, Dorsten, Haltern am See, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick municipalities) Borken district (only Heiden and Reken municipalities) 1994 1998 Recklinghausen district (only Datteln, Dorsten, Haltern am See, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick municipalities) Borken district (only Heiden, Raesfeld, and Reken municipalities) 2002 123 Recklinghausen II Recklinghausen district (only Datteln, Haltern am See, Herten, Marl, and Oer-Erkenschwick municipalities) 2005 2009 2013 122 2017 2021 2025 121
Members The constituency had been held continuously by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) since 1965 until 2025. It was first represented by Anton Hoppe of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1949 to 1953, followed by fellow CDU member Friedrich Wilhelm Willeke from 1953 to 1965. Günther Eckerland of the SPD was elected in 1965 and served until 1976, when he was succeeded by Ulrich Steger. He was in turn succeeded by Horst Niggemeier, who served from 1987 to 1994. Waltraud Lehn was representative from 1994 to 2009. Michael Groß was elected in 2009, and re-elected in 2013 and 2017. He was succeeded by Brian Nickholz in 2021. In 2025 Lars Ehm won the seat for the CDU.
Election Member Party % 1949 Anton Hoppe CDU 38.1 1953 Friedrich Wilhelm Willeke CDU 54.3 1957 55.7 1961 48.8 1965 Günther Eckerland SPD 47.1 1969 51.2 1972 58.3 1976 Ulrich Steger SPD 53.5 1980 54.4 1983 50.6 1987 Horst Niggemeier SPD 50.6 1990 47.6 1994 Waltraud Lehn SPD 48.8 1998 54.1 2002 56.6 2005 55.0 2009 Michael Groß SPD 42.6 2013 45.7 2017 41.1 2021 Brian Nickholz SPD 37.4 2025 Lars Ehm CDU 31.6
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References