The European elections may hold success for the Union.
Today, Germans can choose from among 35 parties and associations to vote for. Surveys suggest that the CDU and CSU have a commanding lead. Additionally, residents in some regions are also casting their ballots for municipal parliaments. The political landscape in Thuringia, Brandenburg, and Saxony will be particularly tense as citizens anticipate the performance of the AfD.
Over 360 million citizens in the EU are eligible to vote today, with around 65 million of them being in Germany. Voting commenced on Thursday with the Netherlands casting their ballots. There are 720 seats available in the European Parliament, with 96 of them coming from Germany. This election is not only the largest democratic vote globally but also the only direct one that traverses borders.
In Germany, approximately 1400 candidates have run for these positions, and polls indicate the CDU and CSU are expected to carry the day by a substantial margin, followed by the SPD, Greens, and AfD. A preliminary projection of the distribution of seats in the new European Parliament is anticipated on Sunday between 8:15-8:30 pm. The first preliminary results from various EU countries are expected post-11:00 pm.
Several German states will also have municipal elections parallel to the European elections. These include Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. In some of these regions, decisions concerning district councils, city councils, and district assemblies will be made.
In Thuringia, where municipal elections occurred two weeks ago, citizens can now determine their future district president or mayor. A runoff election will take place in 15 districts and free cities, with nine of them featuring AfD candidates. The party had gained seats in the municipal parliaments during the initial municipal elections, but they failed to seize control of town halls and district offices. The performance of parties in Brandenburg and Saxony is also noteworthy - these regions' municipal elections are regarded as a barometer for the mood ahead of the state elections in September.
The final day of the European election campaign in Germany witnessed rallies, rallies, and calls for people to vote. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his Ukraine policy during the SPD election campaign and claimed there would be no NATO soldiers in the country. However, France is contemplating sending military trainers to Ukraine.
Thousands of people protested against right-wing extremism and in support of democracy in various cities on the eve of the election. A coalition of civil society organizations had urged such protests in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Dresden. According to police estimates, approximately 15,000 individuals gathered in Berlin. Signs carried slogans such as "Heart instead of Hate", "Human Rights instead of Right-Wing People", and "Diversity without Alternative".
The election campaign was rife with attacks on politicians, culminating in an AfD politician being attacked in Dresden. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen postponed several engagements after a physical attack on Friday evening.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz, via his weekly email, urged his supporters to back the conservatives as they campaigned for the incumbent EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen has garnered the utmost respect in Europe and globally, according to Merz. A ballot for continuity in Europe could be cast by choosing her as the Commission President.
The 65-year-old von der Leyen is running for a second term as the President of the EU Commission. She has held the post since 2019. As Commission President, she oversees approximately 32,000 employees who not only suggest new EU laws but also monitor the observance of European treaties. She also attends most significant international summits, including those of G7 and G20, as the EU’s representative.
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- In the upcoming local elections in Saxony, the CDU and their sister party CSU are anticipating strong support, while the AfD also aims to make an impact.
- During the European elections, Ursula von der Leyen, the EU Commission President, is backed by Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, who sees her as a symbol of continuity in Europe.
- Thuringia's local elections produced mixed results for the AfD, who gained seats in municipal parliaments but failed to take control of town halls and district offices.
- As German citizens vote in the European elections, they are also casting ballots for municipal parliaments in numerous regions, including Saxony, where the political landscape is expected to be particularly tense.
