The European elections are approaching. - Rightward shift in the nation: AfD claims victory in European and local polls
The success of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the European and local elections has pushed Brandenburg towards the right, just three and a half months before the state election. The party, which has significantly improved its electoral performance, faces obstruction in its upcoming campaign. Anti-right-wing extremist alliances are alarmed by the election outcome. The AfD state association is classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected right-wing extremist case. In contrast, the Social Democrats (SPD) suffered a significant setback in the European election, with a sharp drop in support. Meanwhile, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and The Left and Greens made gains.
Right-wing extremism researcher Heike Radvan told the German Press Agency on Monday that the results were predictable. She has been monitoring a right-wing mobilization and the weakening of democratic civil society - particularly in eastern Germany - for years.
Elon Musk, the American tech billionaire and Tesla CEO, expressed positive sentiments about the AfD. While the party is considered right-wing extremist, Musk stated that their political positions, "do not sound extremist."
The AfD won the local elections in Brandenburg with 25.7% of the votes, up 9.8 percentage points from five years ago. The CDU finished second with 19.3% (gain of 1 point). The SPD lost slightly and received 16.6% of the votes. The SPD has been leading Brandenburg since 1990. They have been governing with the CDU and Greens since 2019.
The Left and Greens fell significantly in the elections for district councils and city parliaments of the four free cities. The Left gained 7.8% support, down from 14.1%, while the Greens received 6.7%, a decline from 11.1%. The Free Voters increased their votes to 7.4%, a 1.1% increase. The voter turnout surged to 66.1%, significantly higher than five years ago.
The AfD attained a strong performance in the European election in Brandenburg with 27.5%. The CDU came in second with 18.4%. The Sahra Wagenknecht Bundle (BSW) took the third spot with 13.8%. The SPD placed fourth with 13.1%. The Greens received 6.0%, the Left 4.4%, and the Free Democrats (FDP) 3.2%. The voter turnout was 67.5%, much higher than in 2019.
The highest scores for each party were recorded as follows:
- AfD: 37.8% (Spree-Neiße district)
- CDU: 22.9% (Havelland district)
- SPD: 15.3% (Potsdam)
- Greens: 15.5% (Potsdam)
- The Left: 6.6% (Potsdam and Frankfurt (Oder))
- FDP: 4.9% (Potsdam-Mittelmark district)
The AfD had its best result in the Spree-Neiße district of the European election with 37.8%, the highest percentage reported. The CDU had its best performance in the Havelland district with 22.9%. The SPD performed strongly in the state capital of Potsdam with 15.3%. The Greens achieved their best result in Potsdam with 15.5%. The Left secured their best performance in Potsdam and Frankfurt (Oder) with 6.6% each. The FDP was strongest in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district with 4.9% support.
The AfD had its best result in Spree-Neiße in the municipal elections with 38.2%. The CDU performed well in Rückersdorf in the Elbe-Elster district with 53% support. The SPD excelled in Steinreich in the Dahme-Spreewald district with 34% of the votes. The Greens garnered their highest approval in Kleinmachnow in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district with 23% of the votes.
The Action Alliance against Violence, Right-Wing Extremism, and Racism cautioned against normalizing right-wing extremist politics. "It's worrying that a large and growing group of Brandenburg voters have opted for racist and anti-democratic parties," commented the alliance's chairman, Thomas Wisch. The election results highlighted how prevalent right-wing extremism was in Brandenburg.
In conclusion, Brandenburg has shifted further right with the success of the AfD in the local and European elections. The political landscape in the region is changing as older parties experience losses while new ones make gains, and right-wing extremism continues to gain acceptance among voters. The AfD victory has sparked concern from anti-right-wing alliances, who worry about a normalization of these politics in the region.
