BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – In the elections in Berlin on Sunday, the CDU became the strongest force for the first time in more than two decades. According to the forecasts of ARD and ZDF, the Christian Democrats are clearly ahead of the SPD and Greens, who were fighting a neck-and-neck race for second place.
Due to serious election glitches, the state constitutional court had declared the election of the state parliament in September 2021 and the district elections invalid – and ordered a repetition. At that time, long queues in front of polling stations and missing, mixed up or copied ballot papers made headlines nationwide.
According to the forecasts, the CDU will gain significantly in the repeat election and will reach 27.5 to 28 percent (2021: 18.0 percent). SPD and Greens were tied at 18 to 18.5 percent (Greens: 18.9, SPD: 21.4). Behind is the left with 12.5 to 13 percent (14.1). The AfD increases to 9 percent of the vote (8.0). According to the forecasts, the FDP loses and has to worry about entering parliament with 4.5 to 5 percent.
The repeat election thus changed the political situation in the city. The SPD, the Greens and the Left have governed together since 2016, and they renewed the coalition in December 2021. Since then, the former Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Franziska Giffey, has been mayor, but now she has to fear for her office./bw/DP/he