Local Governments - Local elections in Brandenburg seem set for an AfD win.
In the recent Brandenburg municipal elections, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has made its first appearance as a winning party. Based on preliminary counts, the AfD is ascending to 31.3% statewide, almost double their previous result five years ago.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who won the 2019 elections in Brandenburg, is trailing behind with 18.4%. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is progressing at 14.2% in the 14 district councils and city councils of the four free cities, which is less than half of what they achieved five years ago.
BVB/Free Voters and other smaller associations are anticipating to get 7.6% according to the state electoral commissioner. The Left party settled at 6.6%, the Greens neared 4.1%, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) secured 2.6%. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) didn't register under this name in Brandenburg but teamed up locally with other groupings.
Back in 2019, the CDU led the elections for the 14 district councils and city councils of the four free cities with 18.3% nationwide. Followed by the SPD with 17.7%, the AfD then had 15.9%, with the Left party earning 14.1%, the Greens getting 11.1%, BVB/Free Voters recording 6.3%, and the FDP scoring 4.9%. Now, the AfD has surged ahead of the CDU with nearly double the votes they received before.
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The Green-Left coalition in Potsdam, which includes the Greens and the Left party, is expected to lose their position as the governing party in the upcoming local elections due to the AfD's surge in popularity.
Despite the AfD's expected victory, the SPD, along with BVB/Free Voters and other smaller associations, will still maintain representation in various municipalities across Brandenburg.
The CDU, despite trailing behind, is still the largest party in some municipalities, such as Bad Belzig and Potsdam-Mittelmark, where they received over 30% of the votes in the 2019 elections.
In contrast, the AfD gained significant support in other municipalities, including Frankfurt (Oder) and Cottbus, where they received over 40% of the votes.
The interim result of the municipal elections in Brandenburg has sparked debate among political parties and analysts regarding the shift in voting patterns and the impact on local governance.
The FDP, despite securing only 2.6% in the recent elections, is hoping to appeal to free voters and increase their support in future elections.
The AfD's victory in the Brandenburg municipal elections could have implications for the upcoming state elections in 2026, which could potentially result in the AfD holding more powerful positions in local governments.
