Hamburg is the new headline here. Or: The focus shifts to Hamburg. - The Green Party experiences defeat in some districts; the SPD emerges as the most powerful political force once more.
Following the disappointing results in the European elections, the environmentalist Greens additionally suffered significant setbacks in the recent district elections in Hamburg. According to provisional results released by the state electoral officer on Monday evening, they were outpaced by the Social Democrats (SPD) in all districts.
The SPD increased their overall support by 1.2 percentage points to 25.3%. The Greens, on the other hand, lost 7.7 percentage points and ended up with 23.6%. The Christian Democrats (CDU) gained 3.4 percentage points and secured 21.6% of the votes.
The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) saw a rise in votes, going from 6.4% in the 2019 election to 8.8%. However, they lagged behind the Left party, which lost 1.2 percentage points but still managed to get 9.5%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) also suffered losses, as their results dropped from 6.6% in 2015 to 6.4%. The voter turnout was 62.4% during the Sunday election, which was 4.4 percentage points higher than in 2019.
In 2015, the Greens had the most votes in four of the seven districts. This time, they retained this position in Altona, Eimsbüttel, and Hamburg-North. The SPD seized the district of Mitte from the Greens. They maintained control of the district of Harburg while losing both Wandsbek and Bergedorf - both of which went to the CDU, who had no representation in these districts in 2019.
The SPD achieved their greatest success in Hamburg-Mitte with 28.5%, the Greens in Eimsbüttel with 29.6%, and the CDU in Bergedorf with 28.6%. The AfD saw their highest voter base in Bergedorf and Harburg, where they obtained 14.4% each. The Left party was strongest in Altona (7.6%), similar to the FDP in the same district.
Peter Tschentscher, the First Citizen of Hamburg, commented on the SPD's ability to maintain its position: "The SPD held its ground in this election and remains the strongest political force at the local level." This allows for the formation of stable coalitions between democratic parties in all seven district assemblies to "shape policies in neighborhoods and quarters in the best interests of citizens."
Although they suffered significant losses, the Greens found a silver lining: "We have reclaimed the position of strongest force in Altona, Eimsbüttel, and Hamburg-North. In difficult times, this is at least one reason to be happy." Maryam Blumenthal and Leon Alam, the leaders of the Green party, commented on the election results. "This is a good outcome, especially considering the prevailing national sentiment."
CDU secretary and leader Dennis Thering expressed satisfaction with the party's performance: "The CDU in Hamburg is on the rise again. We are now the strongest force in Wandsbek and Bergedorf in two districts." The intensive election campaign clearly paid off, ensuring the CDU will make the Bürgerschaftswahl in March an exciting three-way race."
Nockemann, the chairman of AfD in Hamburg, celebrated their potential entry into all district assemblies with a parliamentary majority and said: "The old parties were unable to marginalize us."
Sabine Ritter, the chairwoman of the Left party, highlighted their positions in Mitte (14.8%), Altona (12.9%), and Eimsbüttel (9.1%), referring to them as stronghold areas. "Now, we're gearing up for the Bürgerschaft election campaign," she added, joined by Thomas Iwan, her co-chairman.
The chairwoman of the FDP, Sonja Jacobsen, deemed the result a solid one for her party. "There was no slip of paper for the traffic light in Berlin, but for the Green domination in the Senate and the districts," she said.
The Greens experienced a 9.9-point drop in the European election on Sunday and finished with 21.2%, just ahead of the SPD, who earned 18.7%. The CDU came in third place with 18.4%. Both AfD and FDP managed to gain. The AfD received 8.0%, and the FDP 7.0%. The Left party lost nearly two points and ended up with 5.1%.
In the European Parliament, Hamburg will now be represented by two MPs. The Hamburg FDP politician Svenja Hahn, the second candidate on the party's federal list, was able to secure a seat, joining the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg. Hamburg Volt candidate Nela Riehl, who also secured second place on the list, will join the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg as well. The other European candidates from the Hamburg parties were unsuccessful.
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After the setbacks in the European elections, the SPD regained its dominance in the district elections in Hamburg, leaving the Greens as the second strongest party. The SPD performed well in all districts, while the Greens saw a significant drop in votes. The CDU also saw an improvement, outperforming the FDP, who suffered losses. The AfD and the Left party also made gains. In the European elections, the SPD and the Greens were neck and neck, with the SPD ultimately securing a slight advantage. For the district elections, the SPD won in Hamburg-Mitte, while the Greens retained their strongholds in Altona, Eimsbüttel, and Hamburg-North. The CDU made inroads in Wandsbek and Bergedorf, both of which they had no representation in during the previous elections. The SPD, the Greens, the CDU, the AfD, and the Left party all aim to form coalitions in the district assemblies to shape local policies. In the European Parliament, Hamburg will be represented by two MPs from the FDP and Hamburg Volt. The SPD, despite their victories, acknowledge that the environment is challenging, while the Greens remain optimistic about reclaiming their position in some districts. The CDU celebrates their strong performance, and the AfD and the Left party also highlight their successful campaigns.
