Experts blame the poor results on the recent corruption scandal and public dissatisfaction with the slow distribution of vaccines.
Historically the worst
Although the election results were still being compiled and updated on Monday, German political observers said that the CDU, which had dominated public policy in recent years, had shown the worst record in both municipalities. Preliminary results show that around 24% voted for the CDU in Baden-Württemberg and less than 28% in Rhineland-Palatinate.
It should be noted, however, that the prime ministers of the two federal states were previously from other parties, and in Baden-Württemberg the position of “green” politician Vinfried Krečman, and in Rhineland-Palatinate – the Social Democrat Malu Dreijere.
Traditionally, the results of these Länder in Germany have been seen as a barometer of how the Bundestag elections in the autumn could unfold. German wave Michael Kipner, a political analyst, said the results showed “fragmentation” of German policy and young people ‘s dissatisfaction with the central government’ s and the CDU ‘s slow approach to vaccination.
According to the media, last week’s loud mask procurement scandal in Germany, in which the politicians of the CDU and its sister party CSU are accused of profiting from face mask sales contracts, also probably had a negative effect on the party’s brilliance.
CDU Secretary General Paul Cimiak acknowledged that the results were disappointing, but said it was for the candidates of the rival parties, not the parties themselves. “We see that during the crisis, voters trust existing leaders,” the edition said German wave said the politician.
“There is a risk that we have lost touch with the people,” said CDU MP Kay Whitaker.
Government without CDU
The pandemic in Germany last year helped the CDU, and the party even saw an increase in public confidence. But the scandals, the tiredness of the restrictions, the gradual resignation of the long-time leader began to erode the supremacy of the leading politicians. Although the popularity of the party last year was highly volatile and, according to experts, closely linked to virus outbreaks and restrictions, recent YouGov Polls show that in September 2020, 63% of Merkel’s government supported the action, compared to only 35% in March this year. The party itself, according to the BBC, has lost about seven percentage points of general public support in a year.
Just like the article edition The Local, Armin Lashet, a potential deputy chancellor of the CDU, has not won the trust of either the party or the general public.
Although there are two more regional elections ahead of the Bundestag, the media reports that political opponents and allies are already considering a potential future government without a CDU. “This is a good day because it demonstrates that a government can be formed in Germany without the CDU,” Olaf Scholz, the Social Democrat’s chancellor and current finance minister, told DPA of last weekend’s election results. Robert Habek, the leader of the Green Party, said his political force would see the results as a guide to the Bundestag elections.
It has already been said in Germany that the next government could deviate from Merkel’s strictly maintained centrist course and become much more left-wing with the “green” and social democratic politicians at the forefront.
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