Regional voting contests. - In major urban areas, the Greens are gaining ground, while AfD leads in Pforzheim.
The primary cities of Baden-Württemberg have announced the initial findings of the municipal election. In contrast to rural locations, the Greens are able to maintain their position in some major cities. Check out the summary:
Stuttgart: The Greens were displaced as the leading force in Stuttgart's city council by the CDU, receiving 22.9% of the ballots, while the CDU received 23.4%. In comparison to the last election, the Greens lost 3.4%, whereas the CDU gained 4%. The SPD took 11.1%, the AfD 8.3%, and the FDP 7.4%.
Mannheim: The CDU also dominated the local vote in Mannheim. With about 21.6% of the votes, they surpassed the Greens (20.1%) and the SPD (18.5%). While the CDU increased 2.5%, the Greens and the SPD declined 4.3% and 2.7%, respectively. The AfD, however, made the most significant gain of 5.0 points, obtaining 14.2% of the ballots.
Karlsruhe: The Greens are still the leading party in Karlsruhe, albeit they must cede their position. The party received approximately 25.6% of the votes, a decrease of 4.5% since the 2019 municipal election. The CDU is the second-strongest force in the city council with 19.6%. The SPD has 12.4%, and the AfD 10.0%.
Freiburg: Even with losses, the Greens still maintain the leading position in the Freiburg city council. They garnered 23.8% of the votes, which is 2.7% less than in the prior vote. The SPD follows with 12.5%, and the CDU with 12.0%. The AfD improved its result by nearly 1 point from 2019 to 4.5%. Nevertheless, it was still surpassed by the Left List and the Independents.
Heidelberg: Despite losing nearly 5.5 percentage points, the Greens still lead in the Heidelberg city council. They received around 26.4% of the ballots. The CDU follows with 14.6%, and the SPD with 12.4%. The AfD received approximately 5.6% of the votes and minimally improved their outcome from 2019. The party was still surpassed by "The Heidelberg" (10.7%) and Volt (5.8%).
Ulm: Despite notable declines, the Greens are back in the lead in Ulm's city council. After counting all the ballots in the voting districts, they received around 19.8% of the votes. The CDU is the second-strongest force with roughly 17.2%. The SPD has about 15%, and the AfD 5.1%. The FDP earned 4.2%.
Pforzheim: The AfD has taken the lead in Pforzheim. According to the final count in all voting districts, the party received 22.0% of the votes. The CDU is the second-strongest force with 20.8%. The SPD came in with 8.7%, and the FDP 7.3%.
Heilbronn: In Heilbronn, the CDU won the most votes again in this year's election, with a preliminary result of about 23.6%. The AfD received approximately 15.9% of the votes and became the second-highest. The SPD had 14.7%, and the Greens 13.8%. The FDP acquired 7.3% of the ballots.
Reutlingen: In Reutlingen, according to the preliminary outcome, the CDU is the victor. They had about 22.5% of the votes after tallying all the ballots. The Greens secured the second-highest number with 19.6%, and the Free Voters Association (FWV) came in third with around 13%. The AfD had 12.4%, and the SPD had 12.38%, slightly behind the AfD. The FDP got 6.2% of the votes.
Tübingen: The Greens successfully defended their majority in the Tübingen municipal election with a preliminary result of about 33.7%. The SPD was the second-strongest force with around 14.6%. The Tübingen List e.V. had almost 14%, and the CDU 13.3%. The Left Party had 9.3%, and the FDP 5.2% of the votes.
Read also:
In the upcoming European elections, the Greens are expected to make significant gains in several municipalities in Baden-Württemberg, including Mannheim and Stuttgart. Contrarily, the AfD is predicted to perform well in Pforzheim, similar to their lead in the recent local elections.
The observed trends indicate that urban areas in Baden-Württemberg may shift towards the Greens in the European elections, while rural areas may continue to favor the AfD.
Despite their loss in the local elections, the Greens still hold a strong position in cities like Heidelberg, Freiburg, and Ulm, setting the stage for a competitive European election campaign.
The CDU has maintained its influence in many major cities, like Stuttgart and Mannheim, and is poised to make further gains in the European elections.
In contrast, the SPD has witnessed declines in several cities, including Stuttgart and Mannheim, raising questions about their performance in the upcoming European elections.
Local elections in Karlsruhe saw the Greens retain their lead, albeit with a reduced margin, while the AfD made significant gains. This dynamic may continue into the European elections.
The secondary cities of Baden-Württemberg, such as Ulm and Pforzheim, have also displayed distinct voting patterns, with the Greens and the AfD leading the way in their respective competitions.
Baden-Württemberg's municipalities, from Pforzheim to Mannheim, will serve as crucial battlegrounds in the upcoming European elections, as various parties compete for votes in this prosperous German state.
