State Elections in Saxony and <a href="https://time.news/germany-the-end-of-merkel-has-begun-verdi-and-spd-win-the-regional-ones/" title="Germany, the "end" of Merkel has begun: Verdi and SPD win the regional ones”>Thuringia: AfD and CDU in Close Race
The upcoming state elections in Saxony and Thuringia on September 1st are shaping up to be close contests, with the AfD and the CDU neck-and-neck in both states.
Thuringia:
In Thuringia, the AfD holds a slight lead with 30% of the vote, while the CDU and the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance trail closely behind with 28% and 21% respectively. While the AfD is unlikely to form a government on its own, a coalition with either the CDU or BSW appears unlikely due to their ideological differences.
Saxony:
The CDU is slightly ahead in Saxony, with 34% of the vote compared to the AfD’s 30%. The Greens and FDP are unlikely to gain enough votes to enter the state parliament.
Electoral Landscape:
The potential coalition options in both states are complex. In Thuringia, the AfD, CDU, and BSW are the likely contenders, while in Saxony, the CDU could potentially continue its current coalition with the SPD and Greens, or form a coalition with the BSW.
Concerns and Uncertainties:
Both state elections are characterized by high levels of uncertainty, with around 40% of voters in Thuringia and a third of voters in Saxony still undecided. Additionally, both states classify the AfD as right-wing extremist.
Expert Analysis:
Political scientist Hans Vorländer suggests that the CDU’s lead in Saxony is due to a factor named after the state’s Prime Minister, Michael Kretschmer, which has previously led the CDU to victory over the AfD.