Leif-Erik Holm starts for last week's two-wheel campaign

The action is no longer new: AfD no longer dispenses with the “Moped-Ausfahrt”, the bike rides, in its campaigns.

So it was in Saxony-Anhalt, with Ulrich Siegmund, and so it is repeated with several candidates from this northern federated state of the country, which goes to votes next Sunday.

Besides the Simsons, classics representing the lifestyle and mobility of East Germany, there are also other motorcycles, one or the other van, AfD flags, Germany and a lot of smoke.

“ They are exactly like these bikes, they make a lot of noise and pollute even more”, says a lady about the AfD, while watching them pass.

“ This has become, in a way, a symbol, both for the younger and for the older, of working and repairing these motorcycles and motorized. They are childhood memories, especially memories of grandparents, and that is what is essentially being expressed here”, tells Lusa the candidate, Patrick Martens.

This party member is behind, at the rendezvous point, where several AfD tents are assembled. Sausages are prepared on the bread and several drinks.

“Germany is a federal state and each state has its own traditions. In the east, this tradition of Simson motorcycles and motorized bikes is still alive”, he explains, stressing that AfD is also concerned about the future.

“ Compared to other federal states, we have one of the highest school dropout rates in general schools. We are also, in practice, last in terms of vocational training. We want to change that. We want to improve in the area of education, become Germany's leading state in education and take Saxony and Bavaria as examples. These states are currently at the top,” Patrick Martens points out.

The rain begins to fall in Schwerin, but nothing to intimidate the militants and supporters who gather there. The grills are promised for the afternoon, and families begin to arrive. There is a party atmosphere contained, the AfD is ahead in the polls, but not with the expression obtained in Saxony-Anhalt – where it won with 44% at the beginning of the month.

According to the latest figures, the AfD is ahead of voting intentions, with about 37%, but without an absolute majority. The SPD, led by current minister-president Manuela Schwesig, is around 32%, while the Left (Die Linke) is about 11%, the CDU, by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with 7% and the Greens with approximately 5%. The BSW (left populist), for its part, is below the 5% gap in most polls.

AfD's advantage over SPD varies between two and five percentage points in the most recent polls, keeping the dispute for first place open. The entry of the Greens and BSW into parliament could also be decisive for the future composition of the regional government.

“ Current polls do not indicate an absolute majority of seats in the state parliament. Therefore, only a coalition government would be possible. The question is always who would be willing to form a coalition with us. We have what is called a ‘containment barrier’,” he says, stressing that other parties are not available to connect with the AfD.

Patrick Martens counts more than 200 motorcycles on the initiative on this last bike ride of Holm before the elections.

The closure of the AfD campaign in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania takes place with the winner in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, on 19 September, on the eve of the elections.