SPD gains breath and believes in victory in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Hoje in the morning, in the center of Schwerin, capital of this state in eastern Germany, the SPD carried out the last street action, being visible the enthusiasm with which its militants and candidates received the latest poll, released on the eve, which puts for the first time the social democrats ahead of the AfD.

After, over the past few months, the AfD has always come forward in voting intentions, a poll by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for the ZDF, released on Friday, puts the SPD ahead, with 37% of the votes, against 36% of the AfD, then appearing, far behind, Linke (Left), with 9%, the CDU conservatives with 6% and the Greens with 5%.

“ Fortunately, we have been growing and it will be very close. Three months ago, they gave AfD in this State an identical result to what they achieved in Saxony-Anhalt” two weeks ago – the party’s biggest electoral triumph, with 43.8% – a SPD militant, Tim, tells Lusa, who distributes to passers-by and curious paper bags with promotional party material.

Although it is certain a significant rise in the AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – where, in 2021, it achieved 16.7%, so almost certainly more than double that result – the recovery of the SPD, which currently governs the state in coalition with The Left, and the fact that all the candidate parties rejected injunctions with the extreme right gave a new breath to the Social Democrats, who also rely on the great popularity of their leader in the state, Minister Manuela Schwesig.

“I’ve participated in many campaigns, but this is particularly important and exciting, we’re fighting each vote with AfD. Fortunately, we have a great leader, Manuela Schwesig, who is probably the most popular SPD in all of Germany,” Tim continues, according to which many people vote “in people, not in programs”, so it is important to have a charismatic figure.

Also a candidate on the SPD lists for the Mecklenburg-Pomerania parliament, although at a more modest post, Mandy Pfeifer gives Lusa a few minutes, between conversations with several citizens who address it next to the party-mounted banking in Marienplatz, also showing her enthusiasm.

“ We have to fight until the last second. This election is very important. People who talk to me are scared” with the growth of AfD, he says.

Assuming that a good result is the SPD “being the most voted political force”, Pfeifer asserts confident that the party “will continue to govern” the state and prevent repeat in Mecklenburg-Pomerania the electoral “catastrophe” at the beginning of the month in Saxony-Anhalt, with a triumph of the AfD at the threshold of absolute majority.

A few hours from the end of the election campaign, the parties spend the last ‘cartridges’ in search of the votes, and just under 100 meters from the place where the SPD performs its last street action, distributing popcorn among passers-by, the AfD will hold its closing rally in the afternoon, in an event that will also serve to measure the enthusiasm around its program, which advocates a more restrictive migration policy, more resources for the police and justice and the strengthening of deportations.