Berlin voters went to the polls Sunday to elect a new House of Representatives, with Left Party candidate Elif Eralp seeking to become the capital’s first mayor from the party and its first mayor with a migrant background.
Around 2.4 million people were eligible to vote in the city-state election. The candidate able to secure a governing majority will become Berlin’s mayor and lead the state government. For the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds were also allowed to participate.
According to the latest ZDF poll, the Left Party stood at 22%, followed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU at 20%. The AfD recorded 18%, the Greens 15% and the SPD 12%. The BSW was polling at 4%, below the 5% threshold required to enter the state parliament.
Turnout Higher Than 2023
Voter participation was higher than during the previous election. By midday, turnout had reached 27.9%, compared with 23.4% at the same point in 2023.
Police reported no major disruptions during the voting process. The previous Berlin state election had to be repeated in 2023 following serious organizational problems.
Postal voting is also expected to increase the final participation figure. More than 800,000 absentee voting certificates were issued for the election.
Housing And Security Dominate Campaign
Eralp, a human rights advocate of Turkish background, focused her campaign on issues including expensive housing, public transport costs and problems with waste collection.
She proposed limiting annual rent increases at city-owned housing providers to 1% and constructing 7,500 municipal homes each year. She has also supported renewed discussion about placing major private housing companies under public ownership.
CDU candidate Stefan Evers, Berlin’s finance senator, centered his campaign on public security. He criticized the Left Party over its approach to policing and claimed that it would reduce police funding and eliminate the city’s domestic intelligence agency.
AfD candidate Kristin Brinker focused heavily on immigration. She called for a halt to new asylum admissions in Berlin and faster deportations of people without legal residency, including serious offenders.
Dispute Over Palestinian Demonstrations
The two leading candidates also disagreed over pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin.
Eralp criticized what she described as excessive police repression and said she wanted such practices to end. She also criticized the Berlin government’s approach to Palestinian concerns.
Evers accused the Left Party of not taking a sufficiently clear position against antisemitism. Eralp rejected the criticism, saying her party supports the protection of Jewish life as well as Muslim and Palestinian communities.
Coalition Talks Expected
No party is expected to win enough seats to govern Berlin independently. If the current polling is reflected in the final result, a coalition involving the Left Party, Greens and SPD could emerge as one possible governing arrangement.
A CDU-led government could instead involve cooperation between the CDU, SPD and Greens. SPD candidate Steffen Krach avoided committing to either side before the election.
The AfD is projected to significantly increase its support compared with 2023, but the other major parties have ruled out working with it in government.
National Political Impact
The Berlin election is taking place alongside voting in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, making both contests closely watched for their potential political implications at the national level.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz canceled a planned trip to New York for the UN General Assembly so he could remain in Berlin during the elections. Senior CDU figures are expected to meet after the results, while further discussions among CDU and CSU lawmakers are scheduled later in the week.
The election results could increase internal debate within the CDU, particularly if the party performs poorly. However, a change in CDU leadership would not automatically dissolve parliament or trigger a national election, as Germany’s lawmakers could elect another chancellor without holding a nationwide vote.
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