Voting Process - Increased voter turnout anticipated for European polls
In the European elections happening in Germany, more people are interested in voting compared to five years ago. By 2 PM, according to the Federal Election Commissioner Ruth Brand, 32.3% of eligible voters have exercised their right to vote, excluding mail-in ballots. In 2019, it was 29.4% at the same time, and the final voter turnout was 61.4%. This marks an increase from the previous election in 2014, when the voter turnout was 25.6% at 2 PM and 48.1% overall. However, the interim results from 2019 and the current one are not directly comparable methodically. Polling stations will remain open until 6 PM.
Germany's politicians and parties have been urging citizens to vote on Sunday. The Federal CDU posted a message, stating how important this European election is. North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), claims this election is a turning point for the democratic future of Europe. SPD-lead candidate, Katarina Barley, said in a Facebook video that all democrats and supporters should head to the polls. Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor, also cast his vote in his hometown of Potsdam, along with his wife. Andrea Nahles, a former SPD leader, was there to witness Scholz participate in the election process. EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, also cast her vote in Burgdorf-Beinhorn, with hopes of winning a second term as President of the EU Commission.
Maximilian Krah, the AfD top candidate, voted in his hometown of Dresden despite being banned from campaigning due to his controversial remarks about the Nazi SS. And a spy scandal involving one of his aides did not help matters.
Polls indicate the CDU and CSU in Germany have a large lead in the European election. The SPD, Greens, and AfD are on par with each other. Across the 27 EU countries, right-wing parties are expected to under-perform. The polls show the AfD with significantly lower ratings than the 11% they achieved in the last European election.
65 million citizens are asked to vote for the European Parliament in Germany, making it the largest democratic vote globally, apart from India's parliamentary election. Voting is also taking place in 20 other EU countries. Some countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovakia, have already completed their voting process. In total, there are about 360 million eligible voters in the EU.
720 seats are at stake in the European Parliament – 96 of them will be decided in Germany. The election is the largest democratic vote worldwide and the only cross-border direct vote. After the first prognosis for seat distribution in the new parliament will be announced on Sunday around 8:15 PM to 8:30 PM, preliminary results from a few EU countries are anticipated after 11 PM.
In addition to the European elections, citizens in several federal states are called to elect their municipal parliaments: district councils, municipal councils, and regional assemblies are up for grabs in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt.
In Thuringia, where the municipal elections were held two weeks earlier, citizens can decide on their future district president or mayor. There are 15 districts and free cities with runoff elections, where an AfD candidate is running. After receiving several seats in the municipal parliaments in the initial round of the municipal elections, the party failed to take over the town halls and district offices.
The performances of the parties in Brandenburg and Saxony are significant – in these states, the municipal elections are considered a trial run for the state elections in September.
Voting is going smoothly in the flood-affected areas of Bavaria. A spokeswoman for the Günzburg district said, "Everything is running according to plan. We had to move a few polling stations, but only a few." Currently, all municipalities in the district are reachable by phone and online. The region of Günzburg was particularly affected by the floods in early June. A spokesman for the Pfaffenhofen district on the Ilm shared a similar sentiment, claiming everything was running smoothly. Two polling stations were relocated, but notified voters.
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- Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, encouraged citizens to vote in the European elections, emphasizing its importance for the democratic future of Europe.
- Ruth Brand, the Federal Election Commissioner, reported a higher voter turnout compared to previous elections at the 2 PM mark, with 32.3% of eligible voters having cast their ballots.
- The CDU, the leading party in Germany, has been actively promoting the importance of the European election, with the Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, calling it a turning point for Europe.
- Katarina Barley, the SPD-lead candidate, urged all democrats and supporters to participate in the elections, emphasizing the role of voters in shaping the future of Europe.
- Maximilian Krah, the AfD top candidate, cast his vote despite being banned from campaigning due to controversial remarks and a spy scandal involving his aide.
- The polls indicate a large lead for the CDU in the European election, with the SPD, Greens, and AfD expected to be in a close race.
- The European Parliament election is a significant event, with 65 million citizens in Germany tasked with choosing 96 representatives out of 720 seats.
- Apart from the European elections, many federal states in Germany are conducting municipal parliaments elections, including district councils, municipal councils, and regional assemblies.
- In Thuringia, where the municipal elections took place two weeks earlier, citizens are now deciding on their future district president or mayor, with an AfD candidate running in 15 districts and free cities.
- The performances of the parties in Brandenburg and Saxony are crucial, as these states serve as a trial run for the state elections in September.
- Elections are proceeding smoothly in flood-affected areas of Bavaria, with minimal disruptions reported, despite the need to relocate a few polling stations.
