Initial results from the latest election in Germany are in. In Berlin, initial data indicates a victory for the far-left Die Linke party with over 25%, followed by the CDU at 20%, and the Greens in third place with around 15%, neck and neck with the far-right AfD. The latter is ahead of the 2023 polls, when it had 9%, but down from the polls.
AfD won with 37% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, ahead of the SPD at 35.5%, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU stopped at 5.5%, just above the threshold.
"Dear Berliners, today we are changing our city. We have made history today in Berlin," said Elif Eralp, a candidate for the left-wing Left Party in the capital. "The message of love and justice has triumphed over hatred," she added.
"Today we have two elections with two very different results. In Mecklenburg, the result is a disaster; we can't embellish it. In our city, our candidate was in a very difficult situation," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, speaking at the Adenauer Haus, immediately after the exit polls following his CDU's double debacle. Merz stated that he wanted to "lead the country forward," emphasizing that the answer will be "reforms." "I take responsibility," Merz explained, "as Chancellor and as party president."
(Unioneonline)
