AfD leads in elections in two German states, exit polls show
AfD received the most votes (photo: Getty Images)
Exit polls released after voting ended in two German states show the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leading in the state parliament election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, according to Spiegel.
Initial projections show that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is receiving 37% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) is receiving 35.5%.
The Left follows with 7.5%, while the Greens and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) each have 5.5%.
Based on the preliminary figures, the CDU could therefore be on the threshold of securing seats in the state parliament.
Meanwhile, the final results will be known after all votes have been counted.
In Berlin, the Left is leading in the initial projections, with 24.5% of voters backing the party.
The CDU is in second place with 20%, while the AfD has 16%, the Greens 15%, and the SPD 12%.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has already publicly reacted to the exit poll results. He described them as a catastrophe for his CDU.
Despite this, the German chancellor said he intends to continue pursuing reforms as long as he remains in office.
German elections, implications for Ukraine
On September 7, the far-right AfD was reported to have won in Saxony-Anhalt.
According to Merz, the development represents a serious shock for Germany.
Moreover, the chancellor warned that it could affect support for Ukraine and Western policy.
The German leader noted that the AfD's unexpected victory would please Russian President Vladimir Putin's team.
Dmytro Shevchenko, a former Ukrainian consul in Munich and chancellor of the Ukrainian Free University, said that an AfD victory in local elections could eventually affect aid to Ukraine and Ukrainians living in Germany.
