Government affairs circa current day. - The Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party has contributed to election losses in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, leaving defeated candidates searching for reasons.
Elation and Self-Pity: The day following the European and local elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which triggered significant transformations in the political landscape in the northeast, reactions varied dramatically. The AfD's state head, Leif-Erik Holm, fawned over his party's victories as a historical win. The SPD's state rep, Julian Barlen, pointed fingers at the Berlin traffic light administration for his party's setbacks. The CDU's state leader, Daniel Peters, attributed the people's disapproval not only to the federal but also to the regional politics. His CDU considered itself the only genuine populist party remaining.
The previous day, his party had lost its leading positions, which it had held in the European and municipal elections in the northeast for over three decades, and turned them over to the AfD. In certain municipalities, the AfD received more votes than they even entered candidates, leaving vacant seats. Nevertheless, this did little to dampen Holm's ebullience. The AfD has now firmly rooted itself at the local level, Holm declared.
The high approval ratings for his party, according to Holm, demonstrated that "defamation and slander tactics are no longer effective." Negative headlines, Holm criticized, pertained to recent European top politicians of the AfD. Holm urged the other parties to accept AfD's proposals for cooperation in district councils and municipalities. "This substantial strength we now possess at the local level will inevitably result in a looser wall," said the AfD Bundestag representative, who himself reclaimed a mandate in the Schwerin city assembly.
However, Barlen assured that no cooperation would be entered with the AfD or any joint proposals submitted. CDU state leader Peters alluded to incompatibility resolutions known to the municipal politicians. The ball was now in the other parties' court to reach out to the CDU and make local politics together. "I'm not going to let the SPD, Left, and the Greens bully us around, painting the AfD's image and demanding our consent," said Peters.
Chiefly elated, Rostock BSW's deputy chair, Amid Rabieh, commented on the Lower Left Alliance's (BSW) success in MV. In the European elections, Rabieh surpassed the SPD's 16.4%, led by Minister President Manuela Schwesig. "It's an impressive achievement to clinch third place," Rabieh exclaimed. By year's end, the BSW aims to establish a regional association in MV, Rabieh revealed.
The Rostock political scientist, Wolfgang Muno, analyzed the elevated AfD's ratings, classified as right-wing extremist in other federal states, as a grave omen for the state of democracy. In tandem, the Wagenknecht party secured a sizable vote share as well. "These are two negative parties that have nothing constructive to offer but simply reject everything," Muno lamented.
Although both parties garnered high poll numbers prior to the elections, the AFDS's triumph in the northeast and the BSW's unexpected triumph were striking. Muno deemed it an alarming development for all of East Germany. "Shocking that over a third to half of the population is voting for parties with questionable esteem for democracy," concluded the professor. The elections could no longer be rationalized with protests or irritation. "Here, a deliberately populist or even antidemocratic party like the AfD was explicitly chosen, highlighting the rejection of democracy."
In the European election, the AfD secured 28.3% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern after a leap forward. Following were the CDU with 21.5%, the BSW with 16.4%, the SPD with 10.3%, the Left with a meek 4.9%, and the Greens with 4.8%. The FDP scored 2.6%. The voter turnout in the state reached 65.7%, exceeding 2014's 58.4%. The near 1.4 million eligible voters flocked in force to exercise their right to vote.
In the municipal elections, the AfD reigned supreme with 25.6%. The CDU sustained minor losses and landed at second place with 24%. The SPD's share dropped to 12.7%. The Left's standing of 3.9% constituted a drastic decrease from 2019. The BSW followed with 6.1%, the Greens with 5.5%, and the FDP with 2.8%.
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