Early exit polls: far-right AfD and Left party lead in two German states
According to first exit polls, the far-right Alternative for Germany leads in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the Left party is ahead in Berlin.
Polling stations closed on Saturday in two German federal states, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the first exit poll results have now been released.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
According to data cited by Spiegel magazine, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading with 37% of the vote. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) follows closely with 35.5%. The Left party comes third with 7.5%, while the Greens and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) each receive 5.5%. This puts the CDU right at the threshold needed to enter the state parliament, though the final outcome will depend on the full vote count.
An earlier FAZ poll, published before voting day, had suggested the SPD, led by state premier Manuela Schwesig, could reach 37% — up three percentage points from the previous week — while the AfD was projected at 36%, one point lower than a week earlier.
Berlin
In Berlin, first exit polls show the Left party in the lead with 24.5% of the vote. The CDU takes second place with 20%, followed by the AfD with 16%, the Greens with 15%, and the SPD with 12%.
Background
Both elections follow the state vote in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, where the AfD scored a historic win while the CDU, associated with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, suffered a setback. The exit poll figures were first reported by Spiegel, with the news relayed by the outlet Yevropeiska Pravda.
