German Voters Open Berlin, Mecklenburg Polls as Merz Faces 14% Approval and AfD Pressure
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Sep 20
German Voters Open Berlin, Mecklenburg Polls as Merz Faces 14% Approval and AfD Pressure
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Sep 20
Summary
Polling stations opened in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, launching regional votes that could sharpen pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz before exit polls due at 16:00 GMT.
14% approval for Merz and the AfD's recent 44% win in Saxony-Anhalt have turned the elections into a national test of whether his CDU can stop further losses.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD is polling around 37% against the SPD's 33%, while the CDU is near 7% and at risk of falling below the 5% threshold for parliament.
Berlin's race is tighter, with the CDU and Left Party running neck and neck in a contest dominated by housing costs; advertised rents have doubled since 2014 and the city needs 211,000 more homes by 2040.
For the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in both states, while about a quarter of Berlin residents remain excluded from the city-state election because they lack German citizenship.