- Brother: The election outcomes are disadvantageous for all Democrats
According to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Minister President, Manuela Schwesig, the election results in Saxony and Thuringia are "concerning." "It's a poor result for all democrats when a party categorized as extreme-right is the dominant force in Thuringia," the SPD politician stated after the initial projections. In Saxony, however, it's clear that citizens have rallied behind the Minister President during challenging times.
Schwesig is hopeful that a similar trend will occur in the Brandenburg state election, where the successful and popular Minister President, Dietmar Woidke, is running. "Unfortunately, this wasn't possible in Thuringia due to the rivalry between The Left and the BSW," she pointed out.
The SPD, however, has achieved its "minimum target." "My respect to the election campaigners in Thuringia and Saxony who had to battle against a strong national trend," Schwesig said.
Initial Projections
In Thuringia, the AfD is projected to rise to 31.2 to 33.1 percent (2019: 23.4 percent), while the CDU settles at 24.3 to 24.5 percent (21.7). The BSW enters with 15.0 to 15.7 percent, leaving the Left, led by Minister President Bodo Ramelow, significantly behind, with a major drop to 11.7 to 12.4 percent (31.0). The parties of the Berlin coalition government endure heavy losses: The SPD is at 6.6 to 6.8 percent, below their worst result in Thuringia in 2019 (8.2). The Greens and FDP fail to qualify for the parliament, with the Greens at 3.8 to 4.0 percent (5.2) and the FDP not even having their own results listed.
In Saxony, the CDU is at 31.6 to 31.7 percent (2019: 32.1 percent). The AfD follows closely with 30.4 to 31.4 percent (27.5). The BSW enters with 11.4 to 12.0 percent. The SPD is at 7.8 to 8.2 percent (7.7). The Left reaches 4.0 to 4.3 percent, barely half of their votes from five years ago (10.4). The Greens are also at risk with 5.3 to 5.5 percent (8.6). The FDP misses out on entering the parliament once more. Parties with less than five percent can still enter the Saxony state parliament if they win two direct mandates.
Schwesig expressed her concerns regarding the AfD's projected rise in Thuringia, as they are projected to become the dominant force, while the Left, led by Minister President Bodo Ramelow, faces a significant drop in votes. In Saxony, the AfD is also projected to gain votes, potentially posing a challenge to the CDU, despite their marginally lower projections.
