AfD and Left win in Lower Saxony local elections, AfD reaches 16.5 percent

The only parties to gain were the AfD and the Left: According to the projections, the AfD gained 11.9 percent compared to the last election and achieved 16.5 percent of the vote. The Left also gained and is forecast to reach 5.9 percent.

6.3 million eligible voters

From the North Sea coast to the Harz Mountains, 6.3 million people in Lower Saxony were called upon to elect their local representatives in the districts, cities and municipalities. In addition, mayors, mayors and district administrators were elected. In total there are more than 29,000 seats and more than 68,000 candidacies. In the afternoon, the election management announced a voter turnout of 50.67 percent, almost seven percent more than five years ago.

The local elections are not only seen as a test of mood in Lower Saxony, which is governed by the red-green coalition, before the next state election. A week after the AfD's success in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and a week before the next elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin, the local elections are also an indicator of how the AfD is currently doing in a western German state.

Unlike back then, the AfD regional association is now listed as a right-wing extremist object of observation by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The party is defending itself legally. However, four AfD candidates were not admitted to the election because of doubts about their loyalty to the constitution. For example, AfD state deputy Stephan Bothe is not allowed to run for Lüneburg district administrator.

First local elections under Prime Minister Lies

The local elections are also the first nationwide elections since Olaf Lies took over as Prime Minister from Stephan Weil (both SPD) last year. Lies cast his votes in his home community in Sande in Friesland. “I would like voters to consciously look at the candidates on site,” the 59-year-old told the dpa news agency after casting their vote. »It's not a small federal election, but a real personality election. And it’s about your own community, city or district.«

Nevertheless, federal politicians are also looking very closely at the vote in Lower Saxony. The vote between the Wadden Sea, Heath and Harz is seen as an important test of mood before the elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin take place on Sunday next week. The CDU in particular is looking forward to seeing whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz can breathe a sigh of relief before the feared debacle in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - where the CDU has recently fallen to 7 percent in surveys - and after the fiasco in Saxony-Anhalt.