Q&A: What foreign residents need to know about Berlin's upcoming election
Berliners will go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new state parliament. We explain who can vote, the big issues and what you can expect from this nail-biting election.
On September 20, Berlin will elect the state parliament, which determines the next mayor of the city of 3.9 million people. The city's political landscape is marked by a lack of cohesion, with the central districts often favoring the Green or socialist Left Party, while the outskirts are dominated by the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and, in some districts, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
This complexity makes predicting Berlin's elections a challenge, as three parties - the Left Party, the CDU, and the AfD - are currently evenly matched, with the Left Party holding a slight lead at 21%, the CDU at 20%, and the AfD at 18%, according to the latest poll. The CDU is concerned about the rise of the radical Left Party and the surging popularity of the AfD, which could potentially jeopardize their government.
The CDU's challenges include dealing with the loss of their incumbent mayor, who is not running for re-election, and presenting a new candidate to navigate the political divide. The potential significance of Berlin's election lies in its ability to either solidify or disrupt the current political power structure in the city and nationally.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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