In what some have described as a bellwether for German politics, millions of Bavarians are casting their votes in state elections.
With the @CSU expecting a poor performance, the poll could spell trouble for Chancellor Merkel. Want to understand more? Keep reading 👇 (THREAD)
With the @CSU expecting a poor performance, the poll could spell trouble for Chancellor Merkel. Want to understand more? Keep reading 👇 (THREAD)
Bavarians headed to the polls on Sunday in a historical vote to elect a regional parliament and government that could see the long-ruling Christian Social Union (@CSU) lose their absolute majority in the state legislature.
But why is it so important for Germany?
But why is it so important for Germany?
If the @CSU performs as badly as polls suggest, it could cause instability within Merkel's government.
Her interior minister, Horst Seehofer, leads the CSU and gave up his premiership of Bavaria for a spot in the federal government.
Her interior minister, Horst Seehofer, leads the CSU and gave up his premiership of Bavaria for a spot in the federal government.
Seehofer has nearly torpedoed the government in his pursuit of hard-line policy on migration, criticizing Merkel's open-door policy.
Some suggested he could resign if the @CSU performs poorly, adding that Merkel could benefit from that in the short-term. p.dw.com/p/36SFQ
Some suggested he could resign if the @CSU performs poorly, adding that Merkel could benefit from that in the short-term. p.dw.com/p/36SFQ
Polls currently suggest:
- The CSU could take a beating and pickup 33% of the vote, down from 47.7% in 2013
- The Greens could make a strong showing with 18% of the vote, up from 8.6% p.dw.com/p/36RUp
- The SPD could suffer a devastating result with 11%, down from 20.6%
- The CSU could take a beating and pickup 33% of the vote, down from 47.7% in 2013
- The Greens could make a strong showing with 18% of the vote, up from 8.6% p.dw.com/p/36RUp
- The SPD could suffer a devastating result with 11%, down from 20.6%
And, perhaps one of the more interesting projections, the far-right Alternative for Germany (@AfD) could enter the regional parliament with 10%.
The AfD appears to have pulled support from the @CSU's conservative base with its hard-line policy vision. p.dw.com/p/36792
The AfD appears to have pulled support from the @CSU's conservative base with its hard-line policy vision. p.dw.com/p/36792
But instead of playing up migration, Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has opted for another option: casting an inclusive and prosperous image of the state.
He is crediting his @CSU for Bavaria's economic performance and low unemployment. But it's unclear that will turn into votes.
He is crediting his @CSU for Bavaria's economic performance and low unemployment. But it's unclear that will turn into votes.
So at one level, the regional election will act as the next Angela Merkel litmus test, a series that has been going on for several years and is supposed to illustrate the relentless decline of the chancellor's popularity. p.dw.com/p/35XIP
This election happens to be the station between the loss of her chief whip in the Bundestag last month, another regional election in Hesse later this month, and her planned re-election as Christian Democratic Union (@CDU) leader in December. p.dw.com/p/35U0E
So basically, much is at stake for Merkel in this state election. A poor result for her conservative allies could lead to further instability.
Whatever happens, it promises to be a bellwether for German, or even European, politics for years to come. p.dw.com/p/36Vpk
Whatever happens, it promises to be a bellwether for German, or even European, politics for years to come. p.dw.com/p/36Vpk
