The Turbo Election Campaign Enters the Final Stretch
Brandenburg, Germany – The turbocharged election campaign in Brandenburg is approaching its end. Just five months after the state parliamentary elections, the early federal elections will be held on Sunday and are eagerly anticipated. Here are some key figures and facts:
- Eligible Voters: Around 2.03 million people are eligible to vote, slightly fewer than the 2.43 million in Berlin.
- First-Time Voters: Approximately 54,000 young people will cast their first votes for the Bundestag in Brandenburg.
- Participating Parties: Twelve parties are fielding candidates with their own state lists: SPD, AfD, CDU, FDP, Greens, Left Party, Free Voters, Die Partei, Volt, MLPD, Alliance Germany, and BSW.
- Two Votes per Elector: Each voter has two votes: the first vote for a direct candidate in one of the 10 electoral districts and the second vote, which determines the distribution of seats in the Bundestag, for a party’s state list.
- Decision-Making Aids: The online tool Wahl-O-Mat, as well as the "Party-Check" developed by Potsdam political scientist Jan Philipp Thomeczek, can assist voters in comparing their own positions with those of the parties.
- Candidates: Brandenburg has 132 candidates running, 100 fewer than four years ago.
- Election Volunteers: Approximately 28,600 election volunteers are contributing their time to assist with the election.
- Vote-by-Mail: Only two weeks, instead of six, were available for postal voting.
- Past Election Results: In the federal elections four years ago, the SPD won all ten direct mandates in Brandenburg. This time, it is not impossible that many constituencies could go directly to the AfD, which is classified as a right-wing extremist organization by domestic intelligence agencies.
Key Electoral Districts
- Electoral District 57 (Uckermark – Barnim I): SPD’s Stefan Zierke, spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, is running against AfD’s Hannes Gnauck, federal chairman of the far-right Young Alternative. The Green Party’s candidate is Michael Kellner.
- Electoral District 60 (Potsdam – Potsdam-Mittelmark II – Teltow-Fläming II): SPD’s Olaf Scholz faces a challenge from Green Party’s Annalena Baerbock and former FDP state party leader Linda Teuteberg.
- Electoral District 61 (Brandenburg an der Havel – Potsdam-Mittelmark I – Havelland III – Teltow-Fläming I): SDP’s Sonja Eichwede, former CDU state party leader Saskia Ludwig, and FDP General Secretary Matti Karstedt are also running.
- Electoral District 64 (Cottbus – Spree-Neiße): SPD’s Maja Wallstein and former state parliamentarian Lars Schieske, considered right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence agencies, are among the candidates.
Changes in Electoral Law
The number of seats in the Bundestag has been limited to 630, over 100 less than before. Excess and compensation seats are eliminated. Due to the electoral law reform, victorious direct constituency candidates do not automatically enter the Bundestag. They only receive a mandate if their party receives enough second votes. Electoral districts 62 and 65 have been redefined compared to 2021.
Election Results Projections and Final Outcome
- Projections: Nationwide projections for the parties’ performance will be available around 6:00 p.m.
- Brandenburg Results: Data for Brandenburg will be gradually released thereafter.
- Final Results: The state election commissioner hopes for preliminary results by midnight.
Previous Election Results in Brandenburg
In the last federal elections less than four years ago, the SPD emerged as the strongest party in Brandenburg with 29.5% of the second votes, followed by AfD (18.1%), CDU (15.3%), FDP (9.3%), Greens (9.0%), and Left Party (8.5%).
