Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin

How has the political landscape of the Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin shifted over time? This district, encompassing Strasbourg’s central and western quarters, has seen fascinating political transformations. The Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin initially leaned towards the Gaullist right. From 1958 to 1978, Gaullist René Radius consistently won, often in the first round. He held considerable majorities against Christian Democrat candidates aligned with Strasbourg’s mayor, Pierre Pflimlin. This period showcased a divide between national and local elections. Nationally, the district favored the Gaullist candidate, with de Gaulle receiving over 71% of the vote in 1965. Locally, however, the district continued to support the Christian Democrat mayor and general councilors. A shift began with Valéry Giscard d’Estaing’s election. The Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin then favored candidates aligned with the new president. In 1976, Radius lost to a Socialist in the Robertsau canton. This prompted his decision not to seek re-election. The district then swung to CDS candidate Emile Koehl, who defeated RPR’s Robert Grossmann in 1978. Koehl held the seat until 1993, despite internal challenges within the UDF-RPR alliance. In a surprise upset, independent candidate Harry Lapp, advocating for a renewed right, defeated Koehl. Lapp’s victory was short-lived. He lost to Catherine Trautmann (PS) in 1997. The 2002 election saw another close race, with incumbent Armand Jung (PS), Trautmann’s former deputy, narrowly defeating Robert Grossmann. Jung’s stronghold was in the Gare and Koenigshoffen cantons, where he also served as general councilor. The Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin, once considered Strasbourg’s right-leaning district, showed increasing voter volatility from 1993. The left made significant gains, winning and retaining the seat in 1997 and 2002. This shift is partly due to gentrification in the city center, bolstering left-wing support. The right’s decline was most prominent in cantons I and II, now leaning left. The Orangerie (canton IV) remains right-leaning, while Koenigshoffen (canton IX), once Koehl’s stronghold, shifted to Jung but also experiences strong support for the FN and a resurgence of the right. In the 2007 presidential election, Nicolas Sarkozy narrowly won in the Première circonscription du Bas-Rhin (51.07%). Despite this, Armand Jung retained his seat in the legislative elections, defeating Frédérique Loutrel (UMP) with 56.2% of the vote. This highlighted the persistent disconnect between national and local voting patterns in the district. In the latest legislative elections of 2024, Sandra Regol of LFI secured victory in the second round with 58.81% of the votes, defeating Etienne Loos of RE. This win solidified the district’s shift towards the left.