In Thuringia's elections, the CDU leads in major urban areas.
In the Thuringian municipal election, serving as an essential prelude to the fall's state elections, civilians were called upon to elect municipal parliaments and top officials. This event also holds significant weight due to the presence of the AfD, a right-wing extremist group in the eyes of the state's constitution, and its leader, Björn Höcke. The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) also made its first appearance in this election, with the objective of capturing a seat in the Erfurt parliament.
As the polling stations closed at 6 p.m., there was still activity going on at a location in Mühlhausen. Those waiting in line before 6 p.m. were permitted to cast their votes. One previous report by the "Thuringian General Newspaper" had mentioned extended waiting times and missing ballots in Jena, leading to the delivery of additional ballot papers in certain areas, including Winzerla. Matthias Bettenhauser, the local district election officer, confirmed that ballots were indeed ordered.
Preliminary results have been unveiled, showcasing some oddities. Three months before the Thuringia state election, 1.7 million citizens were reported to partake in the municipal election voting process. For context, this is an important mood test, particularly relating to the AfD's performance and its leader, Björn Höcke. The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) is making its debut campaign in this scenario, aspiring to clinch a seat in the Erfurt parliament in the fall.
As of 4 p.m., voter turnout stood at 46.2%, according to the "Leipzig General Newspaper." This figure is slightly lower than what was recorded during the 2019 municipal and European elections, which had a voter turnout of 48.5%. The initial assumption was that voter participation would slightly eclipse the figures recorded five years ago. Per the "Thuringian General Newspaper," 30,000 election assistants are currently involved in the vote-counting process.
The CDU has managed to secure a mayor position in Suhl since Andreas Knapp holds a resounding 82.2% of the votes after 6:30 p.m. Lothar Link, a non-partisan candidate, garnered only 24.5%. In Erfurt, CDU representative Andreas Horn reigns supreme with 27.5% of the counted votes, while SPD's Andreas Bausewein follows closely with 22.2%. Stefan Möller from the AfD claims the third position with 18.9%.
The situation in Suhl involves 37,000 inhabitants, with the vote-counting progressing smoothly. By 6:35 p.m., 18 of the 40 voting districts had already been tallied. Peter Kleine from the CDU is on track for a second term as the mayor of Erfurt with 72.3%. His closest challenger, Stefan Giebel, representing the Left, trails behind with 10.3%.
In the Ilm-Kreis, Olympian bobsledder André Lange is vying for a spot in the runoff against Petra Enders, the incumbent Landrat. After 43 of the 136 voting districts have been registered, Lange is trailing with 23.2% of the votes. AfD candidate Ralf Gohritz assumes the second position with 26.4%, and incumbent Sven Osterheld holds a tenacious lead with 45.2%.
The AfD appears to be faltering in the Kyffhäuserkreis, with 67 out of 119 electoral districts counted. Antje Hochwind-Schneider is currently ahead with 44.2% of the votes, followed by Andreas Harten-Schettler from the AfD with 35.2%. Uwe Melzer from the CDU holds 20.5%. The voter turnout has also been noted at 54.9%.
In Altenburger Land, the AfD's Heiko Philipp leads the race with 60 out of 104 electoral districts counted. Uwe Melzer from the CDU trails behind, while Frank Tempel from the Left ranks third with 14.5%, and Alexander Paulicks from the SPD is forth with 7.4%.
The small town of Oberhof, known for its winter sports, elected a new mayor. The non-affiliated candidate Daniel Fischer won the vote with an impressive 95.2% of the 800 votes cast, according to data from the state's election commissioner. Surprisingly, he had no rival. However, 37 voters wrote in different names on their ballots.
It's quite amusing that in the nearby town of Fretterode in the Eichsfeldkreis, there was no official candidate for the mayoral election. The current Mayor Mike Gunkel chose not to run again. Still, a large number of voters marked his name on their ballots, resulting in him getting 71.6% of the votes.
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In the upcoming Thuringia state elections, the Alliance 90/The Greens and FDP are likely to form an alliance, aiming to challenge the CDU and SPD's stronghold. The performance of The Left in these elections will also be closely watched, as they aim to gain more seats. The AfD, despite facing criticism for its extremist views, continues to remain a significant player in the political landscape. In contrast, the SPD, despite performing well in some areas, has been struggling to keep up with the CDU's lead in major urban areas. BSW, in its bid to capture a seat in the Erfurt parliament, will be looking to capitalize on these political dynamics.
Source: www.ntv.de
