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Rightwing Parties Win In German States

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

BERLIN/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular national government has suffered a political setback in two state elections, with the center-right opposition winning while a far-right anti-migration party celebrated gains, first results showed.

About 9.4 million people were eligible to vote for the new state legislature in Bavaria and around 4.3 million in neighboring Hesse, a region that includes Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt.

Both states were already led by the country’s main opposition Union bloc, comprised of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU).

The outcome came amid mounting concerns about the influx of migrants fleeing war, persecution, and poverty, as well as the economic impact of the war in Ukraine on Europe’s largest economy.

Projections for ARD and ZDF public television based on exit polls and well-advanced counting showed the CSU, which has led Bavaria since 1957, winning nearly 37 percent, around 20 points ahead of its nearest rival. In Hesse, the CDU was seen winning about 34 percent of the vote, making gains and also far ahead of its competitors.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has risen to second place in national polls behind the Union, won’t be a factor in determining the states’ new governments. Other mainstream parties refused to work with it amid concerns about its perceived anti-migration rhetoric.

But it looked likely to finish second in Hesse and possibly also in Bavaria. Projections showed it taking about 18 percent of the vote in Hesse and 16 percent in Bavaria, improving significantly on lower double-digit showings when the two states last voted in 2018.

SUFFERING ATTACK?

The AfF campaign was overshadowed by reports that its co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, had to be hospitalized last week after a “violent incident” at a campaign event in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt.

But German prosecutors and police said last Thursday there was “no evidence” to suggest an attack on Chrupalla, despite initial comments from the far-right party after he was rushed to intensive care.

Chrupalla, 48, was scheduled to address a crowd in Ingolstadt, Bavaria when he suddenly required medical attention. The AfD party reported that the incident occurred in a crowd just before Chrupalla took the stage.

The police were called to the scene, and Chrupalla was given medical treatment backstage around 4:30 p.m. before being taken to a hospital, the party said.

Chrupalla’s medical emergency remained unclear Sunday, and the party asked for photos or videos from the event to assist with the ongoing investigations.

It was unclear whether party concerns about a possible attack helped the AfD attract more votes.

Yet the elections showed disappointing results for the three national governing parties — Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens, and the pro-business Free Democrats.

The win by rightwing parties was also expected to be closely watched in Poland, where the nationalist rightwing government faces elections next week.