Voting Process - Despite losses, the Green Party leads the European elections in Berlin over the CDU.
In the latest European elections in Berlin, major losses were witnessed for the Greens, SPD, and the Left, while the CDU and AfD saw noticeable gains. The newly established Berliner Wahlstimme has not yet founded a Berlin state branch, but managed to make a strong first impression.
Out of the running parties, the strongest was the Greens, with 19.6% of the votes, though they recorded a significant decline compared to previous elections. At the federal level, the party had achieved an exceptional result of 27.8% in 2019. The CDU managed to improve slightly on its 17.6% in 2019, with a drop from their clear victory in the Berlin House of Representatives in 2023 that saw 28.2%. The SPD saw a significant fall with a dismal 13.2% (14% in 2019), making it their worst result in Berlin at these elections. AfD gained 11.6% (9.9% in 2019) while the BWS, a new force on the scene, reached 8.7% from zero, and the Left stood at 7.3% (11.9% in 2019). The non-represented FDP secured 4.3% (4.7% in 2019).
Cruz Azul, the Union comprising CDU and CSU, predictedly won the German European elections. AfD became the second strongest party. Including the Union, these five parties were in the lead with the SPD, Greens, FDP, and the Left trailing behind.
CDU General Secretary Ottilie Klein was content with this federal-level victory, stating, "The people have again voiced their approval for a strong Europe and a robust political core." On the contrary, the Greens expressed disappointment, saying, "We would've hoped for better results for Europe and us."
SPD state chairpersons Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel expressed bitterness and disappointment, claiming, "This result serves as an incentive for us to reform our offer for Berliners and regain their trust."
On the other hand, AfD state chairperson Kristin Brinker perceived their performance in Berlin positively, "AfD scored well, proving that transparent campaigns weren't impactful."
The Left's performance was devastating, as their leader Maximilian Schirmer noted, "There's nothing pretty about this outcome, especially when considering the nationwide result." Schirmer also stressed the need for the Left to draw conclusions and reposition itself both in terms of content and personnel.
Worryingly, CDU, SPD, and the Left expressed their concerns over the rise of the AfD in Eastern Germany, with CDU General Secretary Klein remarking, "It's deeply concerning to see the rise of our opposition, the AfD, which currently opposes Europe."
2.5 million Berliners had the opportunity to vote in this election, with 16 and 17-year-olds taking part for the first time. It was their fourth election in under three years. Despite these elections not directly affecting Berlin's state politics, they were considered a significant indicator of public opinion following the almost 13 months of black-red governance. 34 parties were represented on the ballot (40 in 2019). There was no notable commotion during the election, according to Stephan Bröchler from the state election department.Excitement about the leading party's victory in the German European elections has greeted CDU General Secretary Ottilie Klein. "The people once more have endorsed a strong Europe with robust political leadership," Klein stated.
In stark comparison, the state chairpersons of the Berlin Greens, Nina Stahr and Philmon Ghirmai, expressed dissatisfaction, commenting, "We would have hoped for better outcomes for Europe and us this evening."
The newly formed SPD state chairpersons, Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel, perceived the situation in the same grim light, "This result encourages us to rethink our content offer for Berliners and mend the trust they have in us."
On a positive note, AfD's state chairperson, Kristin Brinker, was content with their performance in Berlin, asserting, "Our candidacy managed to reach double-digit numbers despite various efforts to undermine us."
The outcome of the Left's party was grim, with Maximilian Schirmer remarking, "This result has no silver lining, especially in light of the national result." Schirmer also urged the party to take necessary actions to reposition itself both in terms of content and people.
A common worry was expressed by the CDU, SPD, and the Left regarding the rise of the AfD in Eastern Germany, as Schirmer stated, "We're facing a significant shift to the right, which we're determined to oppose." Additionally, other parties were concerned about the growth of the AfD's extremist wing, with Klein commenting, "The increase in the AfD's support votes is extremely disturbing."
Approximately 2.5 million people were called to cast their votes in the German capital for this European election, with a call for 16 and 17-year-olds for the first time. Amidst four elections in less than three years, this was Berlin's fourth election since then.
Though this European Parliament election had no direct impact on Berlin's state politics, it was seen as a key indicator of public sentiment post-13 months of a black-red alliance. Overall, 34 parties contended for the ballot (40 in 2019). In what seems to be an otherwise normal process, no significant incidents occurred, according to Stephan Bröchler, the state election commissioner.
