Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elections open with coalition outcomes still unclear

Sunday’s elections began at 8 a.m. in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, allowing citizens as young as 16 to vote. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, surveys indicate the SPD has closed to within a few points of the AfD, the CDU hovers just above the parliamentary threshold, and parties such as the Greens and BSW may fail to enter the Landtag. The SPD seeks to retain Minister-President Manuela Schwesig, while the AfD backs Leif-Erik Holm as its lead candidate.

In Berlin, voters also choose district assemblies, giving them three votes each; polls suggest no single party will command a majority, necessitating a three-party coalition. Scenarios include a red-green-red coalition led by Linke’s Elif Eralp or a black-green-red partnership headed by CDU’s Stefan Evers, with a possible surprise from Green candidate Werner Graf. Incumbent mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) is not standing for re-election.