Ten radical right-wingers are advancing to a second round of voting in Thuringia.
The CDU claims victory in Thuringia's local elections, while the Left Party expresses cautious relief. The AfD, which gained notoriety for its strong presence in certain municipalities and winning the first district council seat in the state last year, failed to make a significant breakthrough in the district and mayoral contests. However, several AfD candidates managed to progress to the run-off elections.
Tallying of votes for the local parliamentary elections is underway overnight, and about 1.7 million people cast their ballots in these elections. Approximately 7,500 seats in Thuringia's local parliaments were at stake, including district councilors, mayors and mayors, district councils, city councils, and municipal councils. These elections serve as a test of public sentiment for the upcoming state elections in Thuringia on September 1. The performance of the extremist right-wing group, AfD, is being monitored not only within the state but also beyond its borders.
On Sunday, the AfD only managed to secure first place in the Altenburger Land district council election. However, their candidate, Heiko Philipp, fell short of the absolute majority with 33.0%. This means that a run-off election between Philipp and CDU candidate Uwe Melzer will be held in two weeks' time, coinciding with the European elections. Melzer received 32.2% of the votes.
In Hildburghausen, Nazi sympathizer and former NPD functionary Tommy Frenck made it into the run-off election with the Free Voters' Sven Gregor. Frenck had previously caused a stir due to his controversial views, and the Thuringian Local Elections Act states that anyone who doesn't promise to uphold the free democratic basic order as defined by the Basic Law and state constitution is not eligible for election as district administrator or mayor. CDU representatives on the election committee reportedly enabled Frenck's candidacy.
In the districts of Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Weimar, Suhl, Erfurt, Gera, and Jena, only the incumbents emerged as winners, with no AfD candidates vying for those positions. In Erfurt, an SPD stronghold, CDU candidate Andreas Horn leads in the mayoral race, whereas incumbents Peter Kleine in Weimar and André Knapp in Suhl were also successful. However, run-off elections will take place in the other three independent cities.
Out of the 17 districts in Thuringia that held elections, only the SPD's Peggy Greiser won her race at the first attempt. Overall, the SPD saw a solid 16% share of the votes, which Maier, the state's SPD leader and the party's lead candidate for the state elections, considered a sign of growing support for social democratic local politics.
After Sunday's elections, the final result is expected to be released on Monday. If no outright majorities emerge, these will be decided by run-off elections concurrently with the European elections on June 9.
The CDU celebrated the initial results, with the Thuringia chief and the CDU's lead candidate for the state election, Mario Voigt, declaring it a "good day" for good decisions in Thuringia. He remains confident that the CDU will be the dominant force in the state.
In contrast, the Left Party's Ulrike Grosse-Röthig, the party's leader and a potential state election nominee, feels that Thuringia has not experienced a sudden shift towards conservatism. She highlighted the importance of preventing a right-wing grab for power in the first round of district councilor and mayor votes.
The SPD's Georg Maier also expressed satisfaction with his party's performance in the local elections and stated that social democratic local politics received a boost.
The final result will be available on Monday at the earliest, with run-off elections potentially scheduled for June 9.
Recent state polls show the CDU trailing behind the AfD with around 30% support, while the CDU has around 20% support. The Left Party and BSW both have around 16% support, followed by the SPD with about 8% and the Greens having 5%. The FDP is no longer considered a contender for the state parliament. Currently, the Left Party, SPD, and Greens are working together as a minority government in Erfurt.
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The SPD and The Left express concern about the advancement of ten radical right-wingers in Thuringia's run-off elections, fearing a potential rise of right-wing extremism in the state. Despite the CDU's victory in the local elections, they acknowledge the significant presence of the AfD and urge vigilance against any form of extremism. In response to the AfD's advancement in certain districts, including Altenburger Land and Hildburghausen, both major parties, CDU and SPD, vow to promote democratic values and uphold the free democratic basic order during the run-off elections.
Source: www.ntv.de
