Brandenburg State Election: Far-Right Party Gains Concern Observers

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrives to vote in the state election in Brandenburg at a polling station in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday Sept. 22, 2024. (Michael Bahlo/dpa via AP)

A state election is set to take place in Brandenburg on Sunday, following recent gains by a far-right party in two other states in eastern Germany. Approximately 2.1 million voters are registered to participate in choosing a new state parliament in Brandenburg, the state surrounding the German capital, Berlin.

The election on Sunday is being closely monitored as an indicator of the country's political trajectory. Recent polls indicate a tight race between the far-right Alternative for Germany party and the Social Democrats, the party that has held power in Brandenburg since German reunification in 1990.

The Social Democrats, a key party in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government, are aiming to retain control in their traditional stronghold amidst growing support for both extreme right and left-wing parties.

Tight race between far-right Alternative for Germany and Social Democrats.

State election in Brandenburg on Sunday with 2.1 million voters.

Social Democrats aim to retain power in traditional stronghold.

A potential loss for the Social Democrats in Brandenburg could spell trouble for Scholz, just a year before the federal election scheduled for September 28, 2025. The outcome of Sunday's vote in Brandenburg is expected to significantly influence the chancellor's political future.

The fate of Brandenburg governor, Dietmar Woidke, hangs in the balance as he has pledged to resign if his party loses to the Alternative for Germany. The far-right party previously secured victories in Thuringia and performed well in Saxony, marking the first time a far-right party has won an election in Germany since World War II.

The rise of the far-right party has raised concerns both domestically and internationally about the increasing support for extreme right-wing ideologies in Germany, a key member of the European Union and NATO.

The election campaign in Brandenburg has been intense, focusing on issues such as migration, internal security, and peace. Both the far-right party and a new leftist movement, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, advocate for halting weapons deliveries to Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.

Even if the Alternative for Germany emerges victorious in Brandenburg, it is unlikely to govern as other parties have expressed reluctance to form alliances with it.