Voting Process - Berlin's European elections show the Greens leading over the CDU and SPD.
Though they experienced bigger losses than in 2019, the Greens remained the dominant force in the European election in Berlin with 19.6% of the votes cast. During the 2019 European election, the Greens had secured 27.8% of the votes. The CDU managed to make slight gains and came in second place with a 17.6% share of the votes. The SPD endured their worst result in a European election in Berlin, garnering 13.2% of the votes and finishing as the third strongest force.
The AfD recorded an increase and came in Fourth place with 11.6% of the votes. The newly-formed alliance of Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) achieved 8.7% of the votes, while the Left Party dealt with substantial losses and managed only 7.3% of the votes. However, the FDP managed to secure 4.3% of the votes, and the Volt Party obtained 4.8%. The Animal Welfare Party earned 2.1% of the votes. In total, approximately 62.3% of Berlin's eligible voters, around 2.5 million people, took part in the election - a slight increase from the 60.6% turnout in 2019.
At a federal level, the CDU and CSU controlled the European election in Germany with a sizable lead. The AfD became the second strongest force, followed by the SPD, the Greens, the FDP, and the Left Party. In the eastern regions of Germany, the AfD emerged as the strongest party.
Ottilie Klein, CDU General Secretary, expressed her satisfaction over her party's victory at the federal level. Klein stated, "The people have once again made it clear that they support a strong Europe with a strong political center." The Berlin Greens, on the other hand, did not share in the celebrations. "The Greens would've liked better results, both for Europe and the European election in Berlin," said the state chairpersons Nina Stahr and Philmon Ghirmai.
The new SPD state chairpersons Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel characterized their party's performance as incredibly bitter and disappointing. "The result is a wake-up call for the SPD to reassess its content and reestablish trust with Berliners," they commented.
Brinker, the AfD state chairperson, viewed her party's efforts in Berlin positively. "The AfD gained ground and surpassed the double-digit mark by achieving a respectable performance in Berlin," she said. The AfD's steadfastness in the face of attacks during the campaign had paid off.
Maximilian Schirmer, the leader of the Left Party, deemed the Left Party's performance a disaster. "There's no way to sugarcoat this result, especially when considering the results of the Left Party on a national scale," he noted. Schirmer urged his party to reevaluate their position and personnel to cater to changing political landscapes.
CDU, SPD, and the Left Party were alarmed by the AfD's victory at the federal level. "There's been a serious shift towards the right that we will combat," remarked Schirmer. Klein also expressed her concerns, stating, "The ongoing growth in support for AfD and BSW is deeply concerning."
Around 2.5 million Berliners were called to participate in the European election, including 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time. Significant differences in the political preferences of voters across the city's districts could be observed. In six of the twelve districts, the Greens were the frontrunners, while the CDU and AfD held the top spot in three districts each. The Greens attained their strongest result in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (31.9%), the CDU in Reinickendorf (28.2%), and the SPD in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (16.3%) and Spandau (16.3%). The AfD recorded its best result in Marzahn-Hellersdorf (25.3%). Interestingly, the BSW also attained their highest-ever scores in the eastern districts, specifically Marzahn-Hellersdorf (17.1%).
This European election marked the fourth poll conducted in less than three years. Even though the European Parliament election impacted Berlin's politics, it was seen as a gauge of public opinion following nearly 13 months of black-red eras. Thirty-four parties were in the race, and according to the state election commissioner Stephan Bröchler, no significant incidents were reported during the day.
Bröchler provided information on the European election. [The End]
