Voting Process - Local election results lingering
During the recent municipal elections in eight federal states, along with runoff elections in Thuringia, a clear pattern had yet to form on Sunday night, in contrast to the European elections. There were only a handful of partial results, primarily from mayoral races. Due to the intricacy of distributing multiple votes and the potential for tie-breaking votes, counting could take several days.
In the district administrator runoff election held in the southern Thuringian district of Hildburghausen, right-wing extremist Tommy Frenck was facing defeat. After tallying votes from 120 of the 127 voting precincts, Frenck claimed 31.0% of the votes, while independent candidate Sven Gregor garnered a substantial lead with 69.0%. The latter had gained notoriety across the nation due to his organization of a series of big neo-Nazi concerts.
A new mayor is emerging in Erfurt
In the Erfurt runoff election for Thuringia's state capital mayor, SPD's Andreas Bausewein had nearly 36% of the votes cast after counting more than 50% of the ballots, while Andreas Horn from the CDU held a significant lead with 65%. Bausewein, who had been in charge of the city for almost two decades, had already trailed behind in the preliminary voting round. In Thuringia, 15 districts and free cities had their second rounds, and in nine cases, AfD candidates were on the ballot.
In Baden-Württemberg's municipal elections, per an SWR projection, the Greens are predicted to lose ground in the top three cities of the state. However, they will not collapse as drastically as in the European elections. The CDU may emerge as the strongest political group in Stuttgart and Mannheim, while in Karlsruhe, the Greens are expected to hold their positions despite having lost ground.
Approximately 22.5 million people were summoned to cast their ballots for the composition of municipal parliaments, district administrators, or city halls across Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Voting for the assembly seats took place in Hamburg as well. In Thuringia, around 1.3 million citizens took part in the runoff elections.
The municipal elections serve as a litmus test for the parties, particularly in Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia - where state elections are scheduled to occur in the autumn. However, citizens' initiatives and other organizations generally hold a less significant role in local elections, making established parties less central.
Finalized results won't be disclosed for some time. Generally, it takes longer to count votes in mayoral and district administrator elections.
Five years have passed since the last time such elections were held in these eight states. In five of them, 16-year-olds were allowed to vote, while elsewhere the voting age was 18. In Baden-Württemberg, the sole federal state, 16-year-olds could be elected. Residents of the EU with dwelling permits in those cities and municipalities can also cast their votes in local elections. North Rhine-Westphalia, the largest federal state, won't have any local elections till 2025. Voter turnout for these elections is typically far lower than in federal elections.
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- Despite the delayed results from the recent European elections, anticipation for the upcoming District of Hildburghausen's district administrator runoff election was palpable.
- In the District of Hildburghausen's district administrator runoff election, Tommy Frenck, a controversial figure associated with right-wing extremism, faced off against independent candidate Sven Gregor.
- Germany's local elections saw a significant turnout in Baden-Württemberg, with approximately 22.5 million citizens participating in various voting processes.
- In the runoff election for Thuringia's state capital mayor, SPD's Andreas Bausewein and CDU's Andreas Horn were the two leading contenders, each seeking to lead Erfurt's city hall.
- The AfD had a notable presence in Thuringia's local elections, with candidates appearing on the ballot in 15 districts and free cities.
- In contrast to the European elections, where the Greens suffered significant losses, Baden-Württemberg's municipal elections projected a more favorable outlook for the party.
- The runoff election results in the Southern Thuringian district of Hildburghausen indicated a decisive victory for Sven Gregor, with Tommy Frenck trailing behind.
- In the European elections, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's largest federal state, did not participate, but local elections are scheduled to occur there in 2025.
- In the municipality of Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, the CDU was predicted to emerge as the strongest political group, according to SWR's projections.
- The municipal elections serve as an essential indicator for parties, such as the SPD and CDU, especially in states like Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia, where state elections will take place in the fall.
- Despite the conclusion of the local elections in eight federal states, including the runoff elections in Thuringia, elections continue to unfold in other municipalities, such as Stuttgart and Karlsruhe.
