The CDU's victory is edging closer.
19:13 Latest forecast for Saxony: CDU's advantage over AfD shrinks significantlyThe recent projection by ZDF suggests that the AfD is gaining ground on the CDU: The Christian Democrats currently lead by a minimal margin of 31.7% to the AfD's 31.4% of the votes cast. The BSW is at 11.4%, the SPD at 7.8%, while the Greens would comfortably gain a seat in the state parliament with 5.5%. Unfortunately, the Left would miss the 5% threshold with 4.3%.
19:08 Wagenknecht aims to form a coalition with CDU and potentially SPD in ThuringiaBSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht is eager to establish a coalition with the CDU and potentially also the SPD in Thuringia. She expressed her hope that they could construct a capable government together, tackling pressing issues like the "severe teacher shortage" in Thuringia. Wagenknecht also emphasized the importance of a state government that would advocate for peace and diplomacy and oppose the US missile deployment in Germany. She has ruled out coalitions with the AfD in Thuringia.
19:02 AfD's performance in Thuringia improves further in latest projectionA ZDF projection for Thuringia reveals that the AfD is performing even more exceptionally than initial estimates. Based on this, the right-wing extremists are predicted to accumulate 33.1% of the votes, while the CDU stands at 24.3%. Sahra Wagenknecht's alliance is at 15%, and the Left, currently managing with Bodo Ramelow as the popular minister president, is suffering a loss of nearly 8 percentage points and stands at 11.7%. The SPD is at 6.6%, and the Greens are projected to secure 4% of the votes.
18:56 Göring-Eckardt: AfD's success in Germany is a shockPoliticians from the Green Party appear more perturbed by the AfD's success in Thuringia than the party's own less-than-impressive standing. Katrin Göring-Eckardt, the Green Party's co-chair, acknowledges the achievement of the right-wing extremists as a "shock" in Germany. Party leader Omid Nouripour, brushing off his party's deficiency, mentions that "the importance of the AfD's success in a state parliament overshadows our internal disappointments."
18:48 Kretschmer on Saxony: "We deserve our victory"Incumbent Saxon Minister President, Michael Kretschmer, congratulates the CDU on their performance, adding that they have earned their victory after five years of partnership. "We deserve our victory," Kretschmer says at his party's event, referring to the sustained faith of Saxon citizens in the CDU despite their dissatisfaction with the situation in Berlin.
18:33 AfD Chairwoman Weidel Claims Government Involvement for AfD in Thuringia and SaxonyAfD's party leader Alice Weidel is advocating for her party's involvement in government in both Thuringia and Saxony. "Typically, in this country, the strongest party participates in government," Weidel explains on ARD, referring to Thuringia. "The voters want the AfD to participate in government. We represent 30% of the voters in both federal states, and a stable government is unattainable without us."
18:30 SPD Secretary-General: "We Faced a Risk of Losing Our Seats in the State Parliaments"SPD secretary-general Kevin Kühnert accepts the party's modest performance in Thuringia and Saxony. "Tonight, the SPD won't be celebrating," Kühnert admits on ARD. "The party has been facing challenges for years, but tonight, we narrowly avoided losing our seats in the state parliaments. Fighting is worth it - we are needed." He calls for more conversation and active listening to voters' opinions, implying a need to reconsider the party's approach.
18:23 Höcke Praises Thuringia Results as "Milestone"AfD parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke celebrates the results in Thuringia as a "milestone," proclaiming that the AfD has emerged as the people's party. He demands an end to the "ridiculous firewall" and stresses that change will only come with the involvement of the AfD.
18:21 Chrupalla on Thuringia: "At Par with the CDU"AfD party leader Tino Chrupalla expresses his satisfaction with the party's performance in Thuringia, describing it as a "turning point" for the voters' will in both federal states. The AfD is open to collaborations with all parties, asserts Chrupalla, claiming that the AfD has achieved parity with the CDU in Saxony and intends to make decisions that benefit Saxony.
18:17 CDU Chief: No Alliance with AfD in Thuringia/SaxonyCDU chairman Carsten Linnemann has ruled out any alliances between the CDU and the AfD in Thuringia or Saxony. "We're totally clear on this," he stated on ARD. The CDU will form governments from the center of parliament, he said, expressing confidence that this will succeed. The CDU is the last major party left and the "backbone," Linnemann said, adding that the traffic light parties have been penalized.
18:13 Projection for Saxony: CDU slight edge over AfD, BSW at 12%, Greens closeThe initial projection for the Saxony state election shows the CDU leading with 31.5% of the votes, with the AfD tight behind at 30%. The BSW is the third strongest force with 12%, while the SPD remains in the state parliament with 8.5%. The Greens are barely hanging on at 5.5%, and the Left is out with 4%. The FDP will not be in the new parliament.
18:10 Forecast for Thuringia: AfD ahead, BSW at 16%The initial forecast for the Thuringia state election indicates a clear lead for the AfD with 30.5% of the votes, followed by the CDU with 24.5% and The Left with 12.5%. The SPD would enter the state parliament with 7%, while the BSW would secure a seat with 16%. The Greens and the FDP would both fall short of the 5% threshold.
18:01 AfD leading in Thuringia, BSW strong in SaxonyAccording to the initial forecast, the AfD emerges as the strongest force in Thuringia. In Saxony, the BSW achieves a double-digit result. The CDU is narrowly ahead of the AfD in Saxony. The Left and the FDP would not make it into the state parliament, while the Greens would remain.
17:18 Höcke's seat uncertain in Thuringia's state parliamentAfD faction leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, may not secure a seat in the future state parliament. His successful party colleagues could even prevent him from entering. Many AfD candidates in the constituencies have good chances of winning a direct mandate. However, Höcke faces strong competition from CDU candidate Christian Tischner in his constituency of Greiz II. If Tischner wins and the AfD wins more direct mandates than they're entitled to, no one can enter via the state list, not even from the top spot, which Höcke holds. In this case, the AfD could try to convince a successful direct candidate to give up their seat in the state parliament.
16:48 AfD Thuringia bans media from election partyIt's unlikely that the AfD's election party in Thuringia will receive any media coverage. The party, classified as right-wing extremist by the domestic intelligence agency, tried to exclude several media outlets from the event. However, a court banned this, so the state party excluded the entire press. A party spokesman cited organizational problems: there wasn't enough space at the event location for all the accredited media representatives.
16:29 Over a quarter vote by mail in SaxonyFor the election that Saxony's CDU Minister President called a "make-or-break" election for the state, over a quarter of eligible voters have already cast their ballots by mail. The state election commissioner expects 24.6% of voters to have voted by mail. The voter turnout today was only slightly higher than in 2019, but the commissioner expects significantly more postal voters than in 2019.
15:52 Höcke votes in Lada, Ramelow with wifeThuringia's AfD leader and top candidate, Björn Höcke, cast his vote this morning. He arrived at his polling station in Bornhagen in a Lada Niva, a Russian-made off-road vehicle. Minister President Bodo Ramelow voted in the state capital of Erfurt, accompanied by his wife Germana Alberti vom Hofe. Ramelow has been the head of government in the Free State since 2014, most recently leading a minority coalition.
15:40 Voter turnout higher than last timeIn Thuringia, 44.4% of voters had cast their ballots by 14:00. This is an increase of over two points compared to the election five years ago. This suggests a high turnout. However, postal voters have not yet been accounted for, according to the state election commissioner. In Saxony, turnout was 35.4% by early afternoon, slightly higher than in 2019, but the commissioner expects significantly more postal voters than in 2019. Polling stations in both states will close at 18:00.
15:13 Kretschmer hopes coalition parties make it to state parliament
14:40 Top issues for Saxony and Thuringia electionsA large survey indicates that about a third of voters in Saxony and Thuringia plan to vote for the AfD in the September 1st elections. The survey highlights the main concerns and problems, with migration being just one of them.
14:13 Höcke Skips Polling Station ChatAFD's key candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, cast his ballot around noon. He didn't hang around at the Bornhagen polling station and declined to chat with journalists present. Previously, Höcke consistently lost to the CDU candidate in his local Eichsfeld constituency, resulting in a move to the Greiz constituency for this election. Regrettably, Höcke is also predicted to lose here against the CDU.
13:50 Thuringia's Midday Voter Turnout Mirrors 2019 LevelIn Thuringia, voter turnout at noon has remained relatively stable compared to the previous parliamentary election. Around 32% of eligible voters had voted in polling stations according to the state election commissioner by 12:00. Postal voters are not included in these figures. The turnout in 2019 was also 31.2% at this time. There appears to be greater interest in this state election than previous European and local elections, where the turnout was 24.3% at the same time in June.
13:29 Saxony Predicts High Midday Voter TurnoutIn Saxony, a high voter turnout is anticipated by midday. According to the Kamenz Statistical State Office, 25.8% of eligible voters had cast their ballots by noon. In the 2019 Saxony election, the figure was 26.2% at this time. Postal votes have not yet been included in the preliminary figures, but it's estimated that 24.6% of eligible voters will vote by post. In 2019, this number was 16.9%. The election commission reports that the polling process is running smoothly without any known issues.
13:11 Lucke Styles State Election Result as Potential EarthquakeThe results of the Saxony and Thuringia state elections have yet to be announced. If the SPD fails to enter the state parliament, political scientist Albrecht von Lucke predicts it will feel like "an earthquake" in an ntv interview. He discusses the election's impact and potential consequences.
12:44 Gera Polling Station Reports ThreatFollowing an incident, police in Gera are investigating a threat at a polling station. A man in an AfD T-shirt entered in the morning, as per a police spokesperson. The polling station manager requested he remove the shirt due to the ban on party advertising inside the polling station. Although he complied, the man threatened to return as he was displeased with his treatment upon leaving the polling station grounds. Police subsequently filed a report and reprimanded the man. Further, police in Erfurt are looking into politically charged graffiti ("Höcke is a Nazi") near polling stations as possible criminal damage.
12:15 Correctiv Warns of Recirculating False InfoThe network Correctiv is urging caution regarding an old false report that's resurfaced once more. It claims signing the ballot can protect against vote tampering. However, the Federal Returning Officer's office confirmed to Correctiv that it's not true; casting your ballot must not be signed or the entire ballot will be invalidated, posing a risk to the vote's secrecy.
11:51 Voigt Hoping for Stable Majority RelationsThuringia's CDU top candidate, Mario Voigt, has also voted. He expressed his hope that "many Thuringians will turn out to vote and exercise their right to shape the nation's future." Voigt also aspires for "stable majority coalitions" to enable the state to move forward again.
11:25 Sonneberg Experiences Sharp Rise in Far-Right AttacksSonneberg is now led by an AfD official. Engaged citizens in the area have reported an escalation in threats, forcing many to cease their activities. The number of far-right attacks has also reportedly increased by fivefold over the past year, according to experts who suspect a link to the AfD district administrator.
10:57 Kretschmer Speaks at Polling StationKretschmer, Saxony's Minister-President, likens the state's parliamentary election to "perhaps the most significant election in 34 years." While casting his vote in Dresden, he expresses gratitude to those who've chosen the "strong force within the bourgeois center," namely the Saxon Union, benefiting from their support to form a government that serves the state. Recent polls indicate a tight race between his CDU and the AfD.
09:59 "Uneasy About Historical Implications" - Historian Disapproves of Election DateHistorian Peter Oliver Loew voices disapproval towards the election date for the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia occurring on the 85th anniversary of the German invasion of Poland in 1939. Loew, director of the German Polish Institute, commented to the Redaktionsbetzwerk Deutschland (RND), "Anyone who suggested it was a good idea to hold elections on September 1st must have had an uneasy feeling for history."
09:30 "Pivotal Election": Comprehensive Data on Saxony's State ElectionOver 3.3 million eligible voters in Saxony have the capacity to shape the political future of the Dresden state parliament today. The CDU risks losing its position as the dominant force in the state for the first time since 1990. Minster President Michael Kretschmer refers to this election as "pivotal". "This is about everything."
09:05 Kretschmer Accuses Traffic Light Government of "Panic Mode Before the Election"The election day in Saxony brings the question: Will Minister President Michael Kretschmer prolong the CDU's winning streak in the state? In an ntv interview, he shares his views on the refugee debate, the traffic light government, and the Ukraine war.
08:46 Comprehensive Data on the Election in ThuringiaDecision day is upon us: In central Germany, the future ruler of the state with around 2.1 million residents will be decided. Will the AfD, led by their top candidate Björn Höcke, emerge as the strongest force in Thuringia?
08:24 Potential Impact of the AfD on DemocracySurveys suggest: The AfD is poised to significantly boost its influence in the upcoming elections in Saxony and Thuringia. For established democratic institutions, this is a concern, as a research group has highlighted. The robustness of the rule of law may not be as strong as many believe.
08:00 Polling Stations Open in Thuringia and SaxonyToday, new state parliaments will be elected in Thuringia and Saxony. In the polls, the AfD is predicted to win in Thuringia. In Saxony, the CDU led by Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and the AfD are in a close race. Initial projections are anticipated with the closure of voting booths at 6 pm. The elections in these two eastern German states serve as a test for the current red-red-green coalition in Berlin.
For the present red-red-green coalition in Thuringia, led by Minister President Bodo Ramelow (Left), no majority is projected in the polls. A coalition of the CDU, the BSW, and the SPD is a possibility following the election. In Saxony, the viability of the current coalition of CDU, SPD, and Greens remains uncertain. Kretschmer doesn't exclude the possibility of an alliance with the BSW. The Left faces the threat of being excluded from the parliament in Saxony. The same outcome could befall the Greens and FDP in Thuringia.
The Dutch political scene remains unaffected by these developments in Saxony and Thuringia, as the focus remains on their own elections. However, theaine Poulsen, a prominent Dutch politician, has expressed interest in learning from the successes and failures of these German state elections.
Despite the popularity of the AfD in Thuringia and Saxony, the Netherlands does not have a party comparable to the AfD. The closest Dutch political party to the AfD in ideology is the Forum for Democracy (FvD), but it has not gained as much traction as the AfD in Germany.
