Greens leading CDU in Berlin's European election results despite setbacks.

The European Union has made a statement regarding recent developments in the United States. - Greens leading CDU in Berlin's European election results despite setbacks.

None of the major parties had any reason to celebrate after the European election in Berlin with the Greens leading with 19.4% of the votes, followed by the CDU with 17.5%, SPD with 13.2%, AfD with 11.7%, BSW with 8.7%, FDP with 4.3%, and the Left with 7.3%. While the Greens suffered a significant loss compared to their 2019 performance of 27.8%, the Left-wing Alliance made a strong entrance as a new political force.

The CDU experienced a slight improvement from its 2019 score of 15.2%, but it was still a significant drop considering the Union's victory in the repeat election to the Berlin House of Representatives in 2023. The SPD suffered the worst result in Berlin's European elections history with 13.2% compared to their 2019 score of 14.0%. The AfD gained 11.7% compared to their 2019 score of 9.9% and the BSW emerged with 8.7% from scratch. The FDP gained slightly with 4.3% from 4.7%.

The preliminary results at the federal level showed the CDU and CSU forming the strongest party in Germany, with the AFDP becoming the second strongest party. The SPD, Greens, FDP, and the Left followed.

The reaction from the Berlin parties centered on the federal results. CDU's general secretary Ottilie Klein was satisfied with the predicted victory of the Union: "The people have once again spoken in favor of a strong Europe with a strong political center." The Berlin Greens were not happy with the outcome: "Of course, we would have hoped for more from this evening and for Europe," said the state chairpersons Nina Stahr and Philmon Ghirmai.

The SPD leaders Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel expressed disappointment: "The result is very bitter and disappointing for the SPD. This result is an incentive for us to rework our content offer for Berliners and regain their trust."

The AfD state chairwoman Kristin Brinker celebrated her party's performance: "The AfD has gained votes and achieved a double-digit result," she said. Maximilian Schirmer, the Left leader, gave blunt feedback on his party's performance: "The result for the Left is disastrous, there's nothing to gloss over. The Left must draw conclusions and restructure itself in terms of content and personnel."

The CDU, SPD, and Left were shocked by the nationwide performance of the AfD, which became the strongest party in East Germany. Schirmer commented, "We are experiencing a dramatic shift to the right, which we will consistently oppose." Böcker-Giannini and Hikel said: "It is shocking that so many people have chosen the partially right-wing AfD despite the numerous scandals." Klein added, "Extremely worrying is the vote gain of the opponents of Europe, AfD and BSW."

Around 2.5 million people participated in the capital's European election, including 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time. Despite not directly affecting Berlin's state politics, it was considered a mood test after approximately 13 months of red-red-green. There were 34 parties on the ballot, compared to 40 in 2019. There were no remarkable incidents reported during the election, according to State Election Commissioner Stephan Bröchler.

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1. Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent member of the SPD, criticized the EU's response to recent events in Europe during a live broadcast on Sunday.
2. In contrast to Berlin's European election results, the SPD in Europe as a whole fared better, managing to secure a significant number of seats in the EU parliament.
3. Kai Wegner, a spokesperson for the FDP in Berlin, praised their party's performance in the European elections, citing their increase in votes as a testament to their strong platform.
4. Some analysts have suggested that the strong showing of the AfD in Berlin's European elections could have implications for the upcoming state elections in Europe, with the party likely to target SPD voters in particular.
5. Meanwhile, The Left's poor performance in the Berlin European elections has raised questions about the party's strategy and direction going forward, with some calling for a rethink of their approach to European politics.
6. During a press conference on Monday, CDU leader Martin Hikel emphasized the need for unity within European parties in the face of growing populist movements, citing the AfD's success as a warning sign.
7. In response to the European election results, Sahra Wagenknecht called for a more collaborative approach between European social democrats, arguing that the SPD should form an alliance with like-minded parties to promote progressive values in Europe.

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