Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) narrowly beat the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the highly contested state elections of Brandenburg on Sunday (22 September), according to the exit polls, drawing in a record voting turnout of 74%.
For the struggling social democrats of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Eastern German state of Brandenburg has been a stronghold since the German reunification.
But against the rising support of the far right, many saw this weekend as a test for the Chancellor’s ambition to run again for next year’s national elections.
The elections, calling 2.1 million voters to the ballot, promised to be a head-to-head race between the far-right AfD (ESN) and the governing SPD (S&D), bringing a record turnout of 74%, according to infratest dimap.
According to the exit polls, the social democrats prevailed, winning 31% of the popular vote, with the far-right AfD close behind with 30%.
The conservative CDU (EPP) and the newly formed leftist movement BSW shared the third place with 12%. While the Conservatives are the major opposition force nationally, they are a junior partner in a coalition with the SPD and the Greens in Brandenburg.
The Greens are on the brim of the 5% threshold to stay in power in the parliament.
Germany, Brandenburg regional parliament election today:
6:24 PM Infratest dimap projection
SPD-S&D: 31.1% (+0.1)
AfD-ESN: 29.9% (-0.1)
BSW-NI: 12%
CDU-EPP: 11.9% (-0.1)
GRÜNE-G/EFA: 5%
LINKE-LEFT: 3.1% (+0.1)
BVB/FW~RE: 2.6% (-0.1)
+/- vs. 6 PM exit poll
➤… pic.twitter.com/ZBg1aV7lkv
— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) September 22, 2024
With the SPD win, Scholz – noticeably absent during the local election campaign – has gained a grace period against internal critics. After the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony earlier this month, this was the third test for the Chancellor and his government.
Finding a new government in Brandenburg will be a challenge. While all major parties have promised not to work with the far-right AfD, the continuation of the current coalition between SPD, conservative CDU, and the Greens depends on whether the latter secure enough votes to barely stay above the 5% threshold, as at the moment the votes are still being counted.
This could elevate the newly formed leftist movement of Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) into a kingmaker.
[Edited by Martina Monti]
Source: euractiv.com
