Parliamentary elections began this morning in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Pomerania. Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. local time, with about 2.5 million people eligible to vote in the German capital and nearly 1.3 million in the northeastern state.
The vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is being watched particularly closely because of the AfD's strong showing in recent polls. Infratest dimap data before the election showed 38% support for the party, 33% for the SPD and around 7% for the CDU.
In Berlin, the race is also tight, with the latest polls putting the Left and CDU close together, while the Greens and AfD also maintain significant presence. The ruling CDU-SPD coalition does not have a guaranteed majority according to pre-election polls.
The elections are also important for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as a weak result for the CDU would increase political pressure on the party leadership. Reuters notes that the vote comes at a time of declining support for the federal government.