BERLIN – Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) managed to get the largest share of votes in Brandenburg, an eastern state, as the far right AfD continues attracting more and more voters.

The state elections held on Sunday so far show that the SPD secured 30.9% votes, enabling it to retain majority in the state, which has been held since the German unification in 1990.

It translates into 32 seats in the 88-member state legislature.

However, the AfD (Alternative for Germany) performed well yet again and captured 29.2% votes or 30 seats.

Also read: Germany State Polls: Scholz For Forming Govts Sans Surging AfD

The latest results come after it became the single largest party in Thuringia in the polls held earlier this month, in the first in Germany history since the WWII. In Saxony, the AfD was a close second behind the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Both of these states are located in eastern Germany.

On the other hand, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), a new leftist movement, came in third with 13.5% while the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) took 12.1%.

The BSW was able to gain the third spot in Thuringia and Saxony too.

GREENS ARE OUT

Meanwhile, both the Greens and the Free Liberal Party (FDA) – the two other members of the coalition government in Berlin – fell below the 5% threshold, meaning that they won’t be represented in the state legislature.

Same is the case with the Left Party as many its supporters opted for the Social Democrats as part of tactical voting to block the AfD.

GERMANY REMAINS DIVIDED

The world’s third largest economy is witnessing an increasingly divided and polarized society, as the former communist East Germany has become a base for far-right groups, like the AfD.

It has become a fight between two different worldviews. So, despite being state elections, the recent polls were basically a referendum on immigration and geopolitical issues, such as supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, there are many parallels between Germany and the United States – the third largest and largest economies respectively.

If Germany is witnessing the rise of AfD in less affluent eastern parts of the country, then the US is practically divided on the lines of wealthy northeastern and west coast states versus the southern states plus the Middle America.

It is feared that extreme polarization will be also reflected in next year’s federal elections, which can prove decisive for German democracy. In this scenario, the US presidential election in November this year may impact the perception of German voters too, as a victory for Donald Trump will certainly boost the AfD.