The three parties of Olaf Scholz’s center-left coalition suffered a severe defeat on Sunday October 8 during elections in two large regions, in Bavaria and Hesse, a stronghold of the conservatives, which also show a surge in the far right , according to exit polls.
3 mins
The evening is bitter for the three parties in Olaf Scholz’s coalition, whose government is very unpopular, notes our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut. The historic defeat of the SPD in Hesse, led by the Chancellor’s Minister of the Interior, indirectly affects the head of government. The liberals who are leaving the Bavarian regional parliament and perhaps that of Hesse have suffered another severe defeat and could be even more difficult partners in Berlin. If the Greens are in decline, they maintain historically high scores in Bavaria and Hesse. In this second region, their alliance with the Christian Democrats should be renewed.
Olaf Scholz and his “traffic light” coalition sanctioned this evening in Bavaria and Hesse. The chancellor had given up his headband after his jogging accident; this evening, he got two black eyes, more precisely in the colors of the 2 regions where we voted pic.twitter.com/qFJ16hJQfj
— Pascal Thibaut (@pthibaut) October 8, 2023
In Hesse, the SPD led by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser would come in only fourth position (15.2%), after the AfD (16.8%) and the Greens (15.5%), and far behind the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) led by Boris Rhein, with 34.7%, a clear increase compared to 2018 (27%).
In Bavaria, the conservative Markus Söder certainly won the election, but with a slightly lower result (36.7%) and the worst in more than 70 years for his Christian Social Union (CSU) party, the regional version of the CDU. This score could weaken his presumed desire to become chancellor. The Freie Wähler, allies of the CSU, improved their score (14%). The AfD (15.8%) and the Greens (15.6%) are neck and neck for second place in Bavaria, while the SPD, chronically weak in this Land, is still losing votes (8.5% ).
Read alsoGermany: in Bavaria and Hesse, regional elections as an electoral test
A campaign dominated by criticism of the ruling coalition
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is enjoying its surge in Hesse and Bavaria. “ We are on the right path “, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel quickly reacted, interpreting the results as “ a punishment » for the government and “ a vote for change “. “ The citizens of Hesse and Bavaria have made it clear that they have had enough of incapacities, expropriations and a migration policy that nothing can justify », she maintains on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Ein “Weiter so” cann es für die Ampel nach diesem desaströsen Ergebnis nicht geben. Die Bürger haben en Hessen & Bayern klargemacht, dass sie genug haben von Entmündigung, Enteignung und einer Migrationspolitik, die durch nichts zu rechtfertigen ist. Danke für die big… pic.twitter.com/GSgqhaNKy3
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) October 8, 2023
Mid-term, Olaf Scholz’s government was sanctioned in these elections where the population’s concern over the industrial crisis affecting Europe’s largest economy and the resurgence of the migration issue played a central role.
The campaign largely focused on criticism of the coalition in power since December 2021. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had fostered a period of unity within this unprecedented government team. But frictions have since multiplied on everything from reducing budgetary spending to measures to combat global warming.
(et with AFP)