Frankfurt (Germany), 20 Sept. (LaPresse) – Polling stations have been open since 8 am in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where voters are casting their ballots today to elect new regional parliaments. Voting will close at 6 pm. In Berlin, around 2.5 million voters are eligible to elect the new House of Representatives. At the same time, voting is also taking place for the 12 district councils, for which over 2.7 million people are eligible to vote, including EU citizens resident in the capital. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, meanwhile, around 1.3 million people are called upon to elect the new regional parliament. For the first time, young people aged 16 and over are also eligible to vote in both elections. A high turnout is expected. The first turnout figures will be released at 1.30 pm in Berlin and at 3 pm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to the latest polls cited by ZDF, in Berlin, Die Linke and the CDU are vying for first place, with Die Linke slightly ahead. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, however, the SPD and the AfD are neck and neck. In the previous regional elections in 2021, the SPD secured 39.6 per cent of the vote in the state, ahead of the AfD (16.7 per cent) and the CDU (13.3 per cent). Since 2021, it has governed in a coalition with Die Linke, having previously governed with the CDU from 2017.
Germany: Polling stations open as Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania go to the polls
Frankfurt (Germany), 20 Sept. (LaPresse) – Polling stations have been open since 8 am in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where voters are casting their ballots today to elect new regional parliaments. Voting will close at 6 pm. In Berlin, around 2.5 million voters are eligible to elect the new House of Representatives. At the same time, voting is also taking place for the 12 district councils, for which over 2.7 million people are eligible to vote, including EU citizens resident in the capital. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, meanwhile, around 1.3 million people are called upon to elect the new regional parliament. For the first time, young people aged 16 and over are also eligible to vote in both elections. A high turnout is expected. The first turnout figures will be released at 1.30 pm in Berlin and at 3 pm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to the latest polls cited by ZDF, in Berlin, Die Linke and the CDU are vying for first place, with Die Linke slightly ahead. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, however, the SPD and the AfD are neck and neck. In the previous regional elections in 2021, the SPD secured 39.6 per cent of the vote in the state, ahead of the AfD (16.7 per cent) and the CDU (13.3 per cent). Since 2021, it has governed in a coalition with Die Linke, having previously governed with the CDU from 2017.