Ruling SPD wins German state elections after tight race with far-right AfD

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Germany’s ruling Social Democrats have won the most votes in Brandenburg state elections, after a neck-and-neck race against the far-right on Sunday.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) won 30.9% of the vote in its traditional stronghold, up from 26.2% five years ago, according to the official provisional election results.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) came in second by 29.2%, posting its best-ever result in the eastern state of Brandenburg. It increased its vote share by almost six percentage points.

Chancellor Scholz’s coalition partners, the pro-environment Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), suffered one of their worst election results and failed to make the 5% threshold needed to take seats in the state parliament.

The newly formed left-wing populist party, Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), secured third place by winning 13.5% of the vote. It emerged as a kingmaker and major coalition scenarios now depend on the party’s decision.

All major parties running in the election ruled out forming a coalition government with the far-right AfD, due to its anti-democratic behavior and links to right-wing extremist groups.

Initial voter turnout of 72.9% was higher than any of the previous state elections in Brandenburg. In 2019, only 61.3% of the eligible voters cast their vote.

Sunday’s exit polls showed that most voters were concerned about their economic welfare, critical of Western military support to Ukraine, and were demanding stronger measures from authorities to stop irregular migration.

Nearly 48% of those who voted for the SPD said they have decided to do so due to their support for the Social Democrat premier Dietmar Woidke, who has led Brandenburg for more than a decade.

65% of the electorate said they have a positive view of Dietmar Woidke’s performance.