The comprehensive questions under consideration were put to a vote.
A week prior to the Brandenburg state election, the AfD is at the forefront with 29%, while the SPD follows closely behind with 26%, as reported by the ZDF Politbarometer Extra for the September 22 vote. In contrast, the SPD managed to close the gap and was just behind the AfD with 27% according to the ARD Germany Trend poll published on Thursday.
The Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution categorizes the AfD's local branch as a possible instance of right-wing extremism. A new state parliament will be elected in Brandenburg on September 22, based on results from the representative ZDF survey conducted between September 10 and 12, involving 1060 eligible voters in Brandenburg. The CDU comes in third with 15%, currently partnering with the SPD and Greens in the state. The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht is close behind with 14%. The Greens have reasons to be concerned about retaining a seat in the state parliament with only 5% support. Both the BVB/Free Voters and the Left parties garner 3% each. 73% of respondents have already made up their minds, while 27% are still undecided.
Woidke's popularity
In the poll, Dietmar Woidke of the SPD is the preferred choice for minister-president as he leads by a significant margin, with 55% expressing their support. Hans-Christoph Berndt of the AfD garners 7% of the votes, followed by 11% for Jan Redmann (CDU) and 1% for Robert Crumbach (BSW).
According to 48% of Brandenburgers, the SPD should also lead the subsequent government, with 21% favoring the CDU, 15% the AfD, and 8% the BSW. The SPD has been in power in Brandenburg since 1990, with a series of partners, and has been governing in partnership with the CDU and Greens since 2019. Woidke has announced his retirement from politics if the SPD fails to win the election. In the recent elections in Thuringia and Saxony on September 1, the AfD secured more than 30% in both states, with Thuringia seeing the AfD emerge as the strongest force.
Opinion polls remain subject to various uncertainties. Factors like diminishing party loyalty and subsequent short-term voting decisions make it challenging for polling institutes to accurately weight the data they gather. Ultimately, polls merely reflect the current sentiment and are not indicative of the election results themselves.
The Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution is monitoring the AfD's local branch due to concerns about right-wing extremism. The Commission, likely referring to the Brandenburg state election commission, will oversee the election process on September 22, ensuring a fair and transparent vote.
