D: A landslide victory for the Social Democrats in the Saarland election

In today’s German state elections in Saarland, the Social Democrats won a landslide victory and may have won an outright majority. According to ARD forecasts, the former junior partner in the grand coalition won 26 out of 51 seats, according to ZDF figures up to 28. SPD leader Anke Rehlinger will become the new head of government. Prime Minister Tobias Hans, whose CDU has fallen to a historic low, announced “personal consequences”.

“The SPD has won the election,” said Rellinger in her first reaction. Prime Minister Hans spoke of a “bitter defeat” for the CDU. “Of course I will draw personal conclusions,” said Rellinger, in her first reaction. The exact processes will be discussed in the party committees.

In the past 22 years under the leadership of CDU

The People’s Economy Minister has left Prime Minister Hans behind in the opinion polls. According to the Infratest dimap, 53 percent wanted Rellinger to be elected prime minister, and only 26 percent wanted the incumbent. Saarland was a stronghold of the SPD for decades, but was led by the CDU for 22 years.

Rillinger said it plans to start exploratory talks next week. Possible coalition partners are not only the Free Democratic Party and the Green Party, but also the defeated CDU. Chancellor Olaf Schultz congratulated his party friend Rillinger via Twitter. The Saarland made a clear decision in favor of a change at the head of their state. Of the “disguised electoral victory,” Schultz said, I’m sure no one will make it better than you.

According to forecasts, the Social Democratic Party won 43 to 44 percent of the vote, while the CDU fell to 28 percent. The Greens managed to get back into the state parliament with a good 5 percent, while the FDP still had to falter with 4.9 to 5.0 percent. The right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party managed to defend its place in the state parliament with a good 5%. On the other hand, the left fell to 2.5 percent.