Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Scholz's Social Democrats dealt a mighty blow in regional election

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Feb 2023 23:14
3 Min Read

In a court-ordered rerun of the election in 2021, the Chancellor's party slips to its worst postwar result in the capital.

  • x
  • Berlin elections
    A German citizen placing a vote in a ballot at a polling station in Berlin (Reuters)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday suffered a heavy setback in a regional poll in Berlin, falling behind the opposition conservatives in the capital for the first time in over two decades.

In a court-ordered rerun of the election in 2021, the Chancellor's party slipped to their worst postwar result in the capital, 18.2%, where they have held the mayor's office since 2001.

The conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) surged to around 28%, up from 18%, an exit poll by broadcaster ZDF showed.

Berlin, one of the country's 16 federal states, was ordered by courts to return to the ballot boxes after the 2021 election was found not to meet basic democratic standards amid widespread voting issues.

The outcome of the rerun puts a question mark on the continuation of the coalition between the Social Democrats, Greens, and far-left Linke party.

Early figures suggested that the Greens could finish ahead of the SPD with around 18.2% of the vote. The Linke party's share of the vote was meanwhile estimated at around 12.8%.

The Social Democrats seem to have been penalized by voters following violent scenes in the capital over the New Year, with revelers targeting the emergency services with fireworks in neighborhoods with a large immigrant population.

The election was also marked by discontent over rising rental prices in the capital and disputes over transport policy.

Related News

EU will unite against Trump tariffs, but open to 'compromise': Scholz

Germany's Sholz says 'strong Ukraine' essential for Europe's security

The result of the elections reflects the Social Democrats' struggles nationally, as Scholz's government -- in power for just over a year -- wrestles with rampant inflation and the fallout of the war in Ukraine.

The difficulties for Scholz's coalition with the Greens and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) have been to the benefit of opposition parties. Along with the conservative CDU, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) increased its share of the vote slightly to around 9% in Sunday's rerun, according to the estimates. 

The rerun in Berlin is only the second time in German postwar history that a state election has been declared invalid. In 1991, irregularities were reported in a vote in Hamburg.

The decision to organize the 2021 election on the same day as a national vote, a local housing referendum, and the Berlin marathon led to widespread logistical problems. 

Ballot papers got stuck in traffic as roads were closed for the marathon, with lines forming outside polling stations struggling to process votes.

Sunday's election took place under the watchful gaze of international election observers from the Council of Europe, invited in by the city itself to restore trust after the 2021 fiasco.

Berlin also called up 42,000 election helpers -- 8,000 more than last time around -- and gave polling stations extra ballots to avoid shortages.

The German parliament has also resolved for national elections to be partly repeated in Berlin, with the date of that vote yet to be set.

Read more: 250K+ people sign petition urging Scholz to stop weapons to Ukraine

  • Olaf Scholz
  • Germany
  • Berlin
  • Social Democrat

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS