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Germany’s shifting political landscape put to the test in key state votes

The German states of Bavaria and Hesse vote in regional elections on Sunday, in what is widely being seen as a test-case for Germany’s shifting political landscape.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to make gains in both states,
The German states of Bavaria and Hesse vote in regional elections on Sunday, in what is widely being seen as a test-case for Germany’s shifting political landscape.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to make gains in both states, although most other major parties have ruled out collaboration with it.

While Sunday’s elections are not expected to yield drastic outcomes, they will indicate the extent of the AfD’s grip on the regions.

They could also send a clear message to the federal government as dissatisfaction mounts over key issues including inflation, immigration and climate policy.

One major question is whether a lack of support for Scholz’s ruling traffic light coalition – an allusion to the colors of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens it is comprised of – in Bavaria and Hesse will boost support for conservative opposition, or whether the far-right will instead mop up votes from a disenfranchised electorate.

In Hesse – home to Frankfurt, Germany’s financial hub – dissatisfaction with Germany’s federal government threatens to deliver a blow to Scholz’s coalition. The regional election will not directly affect federal politics, although a lack of support for Scholz’s SPD-led government in Hesse could be a worrying signal ahead of the country’s next federal election.

Bavaria Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria, takes the stage at the CSU closing rally ahead of Sunday’s vote.
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria, takes the stage at the CSU closing rally ahead of Sunday’s vote.

The German states of Bavaria and Hesse vote in regional elections on Sunday, in what is widely being seen as a test-case for Germany’s shifting political landscape.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to make gains in both states, although most other major parties have ruled out collaboration with it.

While Sunday’s elections are not expected to yield drastic outcomes, they will indicate the extent of the AfD’s grip on the regions.

They could also send a clear message to the federal government as dissatisfaction mounts over key issues including inflation, immigration and climate policy.

One major question is whether a lack of support for Scholz’s ruling traffic light coalition – an allusion to the colors of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens it is comprised of – in Bavaria and Hesse will boost support for conservative opposition, or whether the far-right will instead mop up votes from a disenfranchised electorate.

In Hesse – home to Frankfurt, Germany’s financial hub – dissatisfaction with Germany’s federal government threatens to deliver a blow to Scholz’s coalition. The regional election will not directly affect federal politics, although a lack of support for Scholz’s SPD-led government in Hesse could be a worrying signal ahead of the country’s next federal election.

German flags are carried at an AfD election campaign event.

Bavaria, Germany’s largest state and a conservative Catholic region known for its Oktoberfest beer halls, bratwurst and lederhosen, has been facing the same issues seen throughout the country: migration, rising energy costs, and an ailing economy.

Meanwhile, Bavaria’s economy minister has recently been embroiled in an antisemitism scandal that sent shockwaves through Germany and prompted calls for his resignation.

Since 1949, Bavaria has been dominated by one party – the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

The Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Söder, is hoping to hold onto his current governing coalition of the CSU and the right-wing Free Voters (FW) in Sunday’s crunch election.

The current landscape has the potential to change, however, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) projected to reach a new record share of the vote.

The German states of Bavaria and Hesse vote in regional elections on Sunday, in what is widely being seen as a test-case for Germany’s shifting political landscape.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to make gains in both states, although most other major parties have ruled out collaboration with it.

While Sunday’s elections are not expected to yield drastic outcomes, they will indicate the extent of the AfD’s grip on the regions.

They could also send a clear message to the federal government as dissatisfaction mounts over key issues including inflation, immigration and climate policy.

One major question is whether a lack of support for Scholz’s ruling traffic light coalition – an allusion to the colors of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens it is comprised of – in Bavaria and Hesse will boost support for conservative opposition, or whether the far-right will instead mop up votes from a disenfranchised electorate.

In Hesse – home to Frankfurt, Germany’s financial hub – dissatisfaction with Germany’s federal government threatens to deliver a blow to Scholz’s coalition. The regional election will not directly affect federal politics, although a lack of support for Scholz’s SPD-led government in Hesse could be a worrying signal ahead of the country’s next federal election.

Bavaria, Germany’s largest state and a conservative Catholic region known for its Oktoberfest beer halls, bratwurst and lederhosen, has been facing the same issues seen throughout the country: migration, rising energy costs, and an ailing economy.

Meanwhile, Bavaria’s economy minister has recently been embroiled in an antisemitism scandal that sent shockwaves through Germany and prompted calls for his resignation.

Since 1949, Bavaria has been dominated by one party – the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

The Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Söder, is hoping to hold onto his current governing coalition of the CSU and the right-wing Free Voters (FW) in Sunday’s crunch election.

The current landscape has the potential to change, however, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) projected to reach a new record share of the vote.

It comes at a time when the CDU has found itself at a crossroads after being in power for much of Germany’s post-war era. Known as the country’s traditional conservatives, the party under former Chancellor Angela Merkel adopted a welcoming stance towards refugees and came to see immigration as an integral part of Germany’s future.

However, the party’s more liberal policies have drawn criticism from some who accuse the party of no longer representing Germany’s middle ground, with some voters giving that as their reason for pivoting away from the party towards the AfD.

The AfD ran in Bavaria for the first time in the last state elections in 2018, when it came in fourth with 10% of the vote. The result was widely viewed as a humiliation for the CSU, which lost its absolute majority, and allowed the AfD to muscle into Bavaria’s ………..

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/08/europe/germany-state-elections-bavaria-hesse-intl/index.html

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