Berlin is electing a new parliament today in one of the most contested local votes in recent years, with the latest polls before the election showing close positions between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Left.
The CDU candidate for the ruling mayor of the German capital, Stefan Evers, has already cast his vote. The 46-year-old politician arrived at a polling station in the sports hall of the “Emanuel Lasker“ school in the Berlin district of Friedrichshain.
Evers told journalists that he felt “extremely calm and relaxed“. He said that in the morning he managed to get some sleep, had breakfast with his husband, and then the two went for a walk.
Despite his calmness, the CDU candidate admitted that the outcome of the election remains completely open.
“Everything is hanging in the balance in Berlin. At 6:00 p.m., we will all know more“, said Evers.
The latest data from election day show increased interest in the vote. As of 12:00 p.m., voter turnout had reached 27.9%, while at the same time in the re-election in 2023 it was 23.4%. Thus, the turnout at noon was 4.5 percentage points higher. The highest turnout at that time was recorded in the Treptow-Köpenick district - 30.5%, and the lowest in Mitte - 24.8%. The data also includes issued voting certificates, some of which are related to postal votes.
Around 2.49 million people are eligible to determine the new composition of the Berlin Chamber of Deputies. More than 2,500 polling stations are open until 6 p.m. For the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds can also vote in local elections.
Security has been tightened. Around 1,100 additional police officers have been deployed in the German capital to protect polling stations, parliament and government buildings. According to police, there is no information about planned actions that could hinder the conduct of the elections.
The polling stations close at 6 p.m., when the first estimate of the results is expected. The first exit poll data and estimated seat distributions will be published in the evening, and the counting will continue overnight.
The vote will also determine Kai Wegner's successor at the helm of the German capital. With the main parties' positions so close, the result will also be important for possible coalition combinations in Berlin.