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Relief and support for Merkel’s governors in regional elections

Berlin, June 6 (EFE). – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is relieved after the elections held today in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt (east), imposing a significant advantage the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and increasing, in addition, in votes. This victory before the big elections on September 26 that will start the post-Merkel era represents an important boost for the conservatives, who came last March, in addition to losing support, far behind the regional winners. Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Christian Democrat Rainer Hasseloff, told public broadcaster ZDF television that “there is great satisfaction and joy too”, ready to lead a third legislature, he emphasized, at last. He highlighted the conservative bloc’s “unity” and leadership support led by CDU president and chancellor candidate Armin Laschet, while convinced of his party’s choices in the September general election. Thus, the CDU received 35.8% of the vote, followed by a large distance of the AfD with 23.1%, while the left added 10.9%. Democratic Socialists 8%; liberals 6.8%; Greens are 6%, according to ZDF public television forecasts, about an hour and a half after schools were closed. The CDU translates into seats, and its total number of seats is 33; Alternative for Germany, 21; Left, 10: SPD, 7; green, 6; And the Liberals too 6. In the 2016 regional elections, the CDU added 29.8% of the vote. The AfD got 24.3%; left by 16.3%. SPD with 10.6%; and greens by 5.2%. Thus, the far-right Alternative for Germany party has failed to achieve its goal of becoming the most voted party, but it maintains its support almost the same. Meanwhile, the Liberals were able to return to the regional parliament by overcoming the 5% barrier, after ten years in the non-parliamentary opposition. Thus, “Kenya”, “Germany” and “Jamaica”, possible sports alliances, Haselov, head of the government of Saxony-Anhalt since 2011, initially only with the Social Democrats and since 2016 also with the Greens, can reissue the latter the so-called alliance “Kenya” in party colors, the first government of this constellation in the whole country, would add 46 seats. With the same number of seats can form a coalition “Germany”, with the Social Democrats and Liberals. Mathematically, a “Jamaica” coalition of conservatives, greens and liberals, which would add 45 seats, would also be possible. In a first reaction in a national key, CDU general secretary Paul Zimmiak spoke of a “personal victory” for Heseloff, but also for the entire conservative team in Saxony-Anhalt and in Germany. “In Saxony-Anhalt there are only two majority parties, the CDU and the AfD,” according to Tino Schrupala, co-chairman of the far-right party and co-candidate for the chancellorship, which “clearly reflects what the citizens are saying”. You want “any” an “alliance between the CDU and the AfD.” However, in recent days Haselow reiterated that he ignored any kind of cooperation with the far right or the left and stressed that Saxony-Anhalt could only be governed from the center and with the parties Democracy “It’s not a good result, we expected much more,” summed up SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil, who was convinced that many voters, worried about the conflict between the CDU and the AfD, chose to vote. Green Party co-chairwoman and candidate for chancellor, Annalina Barbuk, noted that regional elections are always very specific to each federal state, and noted that the question in general elections is to “renew the country after the pandemic.” However, he acknowledged that they were They want a better result, despite everything the Greens managed to grow compared to the previous elections. The Left’s co-chair and Coca candidate for chancellor, Janine Whistler, spoke of a “disappointing result due to the ‘remarkable’ loss of support and lamented the party’s inability to achieve its electoral goals.” The president from the Liberal Party (FDP) and the head of the list for the September general election, Christian Lindner , celebrated that “after more than ten years, the liberals will again be represented in the parliament of Saxony-Anhalt.” According to provisional data, the turnout in this election is 47,8%, compared to 61.1% in the previous one, although the vote for Postal route likely overtakes 2016 due to pandemic.By Elena Garuz (c) Agencia EFE