https://www.dw.com/en/germany-brandenburg-election-brings-relief-for-ruling-spd/a-70298529
The Social Democratic Party of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz managed to slightly outpace the right-wing Alternative for Germany party in the local elections in the state of Brandenburg, where the Chancellor himself lives.
As reported by the German press, citing preliminary data from the Brandenburg electoral commission, the Social Democratic Party of Germany took first place, gaining 30.9% of the vote, while AfD remained in second place with 29.2%.
These were “only” regional elections, and Brandenburg, with its 2.1 million eligible voters, is only one of 16 federal states in Germany. Despite this, voting in the eastern German state has a significant impact on national politics. In the third regional elections in three weeks, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was able to achieve huge success. “We are extremely pleased with the results,” said party co-chair Alice Weidel. The AfD has become the strongest political force in eastern Germany, and the regional elections in Brandenburg are just one step on its way.
For the left-wing environmentalist Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP), who form the federal coalition government with the Social Democrats (SPD) in Berlin, it was their third crushing defeat in a row. Both parties failed to cross the 5% threshold to enter the Brandenburg state parliament.
The result gives Scholz a breathing space. During a visit to New York on election night, he called the victory important “for the SPD and for all of us.”
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