In two states in eastern Germany - Saxony and Thuringia - voting for local parliaments is taking place today, DPA reported, quoted by BTA. The vote could change the balance of power at the local level and affect attitudes towards German parties at the national level as well.
Polls conducted on the eve of the vote show a clear lead for the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” in Thuringia and an almost insignificant difference between it and the center-right Christian Democratic Union in Saxony.
A strong vote showing by the far-right and the recently formed “Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance”, which describes itself as a left-wing conservative force but which some observers define as a populist formation, would make regional governance in the two German states difficult.
At the same time, if the three parties in Olaf Scholz's governing coalition perform poorly again in the provincial elections after the unenviable performance of the Euro vote in June, this could lead to even greater controversy and controversy between ministers in the remaining year of the cabinet and to affect next year's national elections.
According to some polls, the liberal “Free Democrats”, which are part of Scholz's ruling coalition, will even fall into the column of “other parties” in the elections in both provinces.
A breakthrough of the far-right in these elections may bring turmoil to the country, but it is unlikely that this party will lead to the government in the two provinces, because so far none of the other parties has declared a willingness to work with “Alternative for Germany” after the vote in Saxony and Thuringia.
In Saxony, incumbent Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer of the Christian Democratic Union has a narrow lead over the far-right and hopes to stay in power, although the results of the vote there may force him to form a coalition with unexpected allies.
In Thuringia, forming a new government will be particularly difficult. Now Bodo Ramelov from "Levites" heads a fragile minority government. Ramelov remains popular, but not his party after Sarah Wagenknecht withdrew from it and created her own formation.