Germany’s Social Democrats, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, emerged victorious on Sunday in the eastern state of Brandenburg, in an election that only just edged out the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The result comes just a few weeks after far-right parties made gains in eastern Germany, raising concerns about shifting political tides.
The final results, released by the state electoral administration, revealed that the Social Democrats gained 30.9 percent of the vote, while the AfD trailed closely at 29 percent.
The newly formed leftist movement, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), secured 13.5 percent, while the center-right Christian Democrats captured 12.1 per cent.
Governor of Brandenburg and Germany’s Social Democratic Party, SPD, top candidate for the state election Dietmar Woidke arrives at the party’s election event after first exit polls announced in Potsdam, Germany, September. 22, 2024. The SDP won the state election by a small margin.
Markus Schreiber/AP
The victory is a much-needed reprieve for Scholz, whose three-party coalition has faced setbacks in earlier elections this year.
The Social Democrats have maintained control of Brandenburg since the reunification of Germany in 1990.
A loss in this key state would have posed a serious threat to Scholz’s political future, particularly as he vies for the chancellorship in the upcoming federal elections.
“It’s great that we won,” Scholz said from New York, where he was attending a United Nations meeting.
However, the success in Brandenburg is largely attributed to the efforts of state governor Dietmar Woidke, who distanced himself from Scholz during the campaign.
Thuringia right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader Bjoern Hoecke reacts after first exit polls of the Brandenburg state election, in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.
Liesa Johannssen/AP, Pool
Woidke had taken a bold stance, promising to resign if the AfD emerged victorious.
Woidke celebrated his survival on election night, saying: “It is an important victory for me, for my party, and for the state of Brandenburg.”
But he also acknowledged the AfD’s significant support, emphasizing the need for introspection and improved policies.
“They have achieved about 30 percent, and that’s too much. We have to think about these results,” he told The Associated Press.
The rise of the AfD represents a broader backlash against immigration in Germany, which has seen a significant influx over the past decade, alongside a backdrop of economic challenges and extremist attacks.
The election campaign centered on topical issues such as migration, internal security, and military support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
Recent elections in Thuringia and Saxony saw the AfD win significant support, marking a troubling trend for Germany.
The election in Thuringia was notable for being the first electoral victory for a far-right party in Germany since World War II, raising alarms about the growing acceptance of extreme right ideologies in the country, a key NATO member and the largest in the European Union.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
