Merkel's Party Defeated, Rise of the Far Right in German State Elections

The Social Democratic Party secured first place in the Berlin state elections on Sunday, September 28, with 21.6% of the votes, while Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party garnered less than 18%. Both parties saw a decline in votes compared to the 2011 elections, and analysts predict that Merkel's party will not be part of the coalition in this state, with the Social Democrats likely forming a governing coalition with other parties. Meanwhile, the far-right party 'Alternative for Germany', which entered the elections for the first time and is known for its anti-refugee policies, received 14% of the votes, translating to 25 seats in the 149-seat Berlin state parliament. This party had also secured second place in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elections two weeks prior. The far-right party has previously called for a ban on minarets and the wearing of face veils, claiming that Islam is incompatible with the German constitution. They have also demanded that the German government close its borders to refugees. Last year, Germany accepted approximately 1.1 million refugees, mostly from Syria, under its open-door policy, which has drawn severe criticism from Merkel's opponents. However, Merkel has emphasized that Germany will continue to welcome refugees despite recent terrorist attacks in the country. In the Berlin state elections, the Social Democratic Party received 21.3%, the Christian Democratic Party 17.6%, the Greens 17.6%, and the Left Party 11.7%. The Free Democratic Party, which failed to meet the 5% threshold in the 2013 elections, received 6.7% of the votes this time. Based on the new election results, analysts have predicted that a coalition between only the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats in Berlin is unlikely. In the 2011 elections, the Social Democrats received 28.3% and the Christian Democrats 23.3%, indicating a decline for both parties. Some analysts have also suggested that the Greens, Social Democrats, and the Left may form a coalition in Berlin. Angela Merkel's coalition government, consisting of center-right and center-left parties, currently holds a majority in the German parliament.