Germany: AfD leads poll in Berlin for the first time, CDU support drops

The right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has achieved a significant milestone, topping a poll in Berlin for the first time with 19% support. This places the AfD ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Green Party, both polling at 18%. The upcoming elections in the German capital are set for September 20.

Further down the poll, the Left Party garners 16% support, particularly strong in the eastern parts of the city, while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) secures 13%. The AfD has seen a steady rise in popularity in Berlin over the past year, increasing from approximately 15% in summer 2023.

This electoral shift occurs amidst political turbulence in Berlin. CDU Mayor Kai Wegner recently withdrew his bid for re-election, following media reports that he had misrepresented his actions during a citywide blackout in January. Currently, a coalition of CDU and SPD governs Berlin.

The AfD's surge in the capital mirrors its leading position in polls in other German states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt, where elections are also scheduled for September. The party anticipates potentially taking power at the state level for the first time in its history.