di Rosanna Pugliese
In Germany, the Social Democrats
snatched victory in Brandenburg, snatching the coveted first
place from the ultra-right, which failed to repeat the historic
result of 15 days ago, when the Afd dominated in Erfurt. And on
one thing everyone agrees: if Chancellor Olaf Scholz can breathe
a sigh of relief, the architect of the masterpiece in the Land
on the outskirts of Berlin is called Dietmar Woidke, who has
blatantly unseated himself from the Kanzler. After eleven years
at the helm of the region, it is he, the outgoing governor, who,
barely two weeks after the electoral disaster the party cashed
in Saxony and Thuringia, has reaped the fruits of a move as bold
as it was successful: asking voters to make a clear choice
between him and the nationalists, announcing a resignation that
was not at all due (he never risked the presidency) in case,
instead, he came second. The vote in Brandenburg has raised
international attention again, since it is also a crucial test
in Berlin, and especially for the chancellor. Indeed, a defeat
in the region where the Spd has held the undisputed lead since
Reunification would have jeopardized his reelection bid in 2025.
But Scholz did not remain deaf to the wake-up call, tightening
refugee policy immediately after the Solingen bombing (with
border controls and easier expulsions) and changing his policy
discourse even on Ukraine. Prompted certainly also by widespread
popular sentiment in the East, where the war is very scary and
the government's economic choices that make Germany the world's
second-largest supporter of KIev are clearly being challenged,
the Kanzler said that the time has "come to sound out the
possibilities" for negotiating peace with Vladimir Putin.
And he assured that he will not provide Taurus, "no military
means that could reach Moscow."Returning to Brandenburg, this
Sunday's vote prevented a new triumph for the party, which is
also being monitored by the Internal Services in this state as
"suspected" of right-wing extremism."Our goal was to prevent
Brandenburg from a brown brand," said the 62-year-old Woidke,
referring to the color of the shirts of Hitler's National
Socialists."And we are glad that, it seems from the current
data, that might be the case," the leading player commented
hotly after the first exit polls, still keeping cautious,
remarking that he had achieved "a vote chase and a recovery of
historic magnitude."From 18 percent in August polls, the party
would now have 31.1 percent (according to projections released
by Ard in prime time).Of a different opinion is Alternative
leader Alice Weidel: "The real winners of the night are us.In
Brandenburg there was a tactical vote.It is no coincidence that
Schleswig-Holstein's Christian Democrat governor Kretschmer
asked Brandenburgers to vote for the SPD.
But we have to accept it. We are serene, it's just a stage.
You'll see what happens at the feds," the added to public TV,
commenting on figures that put the party at 29.8 percent.
Admitting bitter defeat, however, was the Cdu: "There was a
clear polarization between the Afd and Woidke. And as the losers
of the evening I can say: the governor was very brave, he
decided to bet everything on one card. Best wishes to the Social
Democrats in Brandenburg," general secretary Carsten
Liennemann's comment on the result of the Cdu, which took an
11.9 percent, the worst outcome ever in the east. Still
trembling instead are the Greens, who are reportedly at 5
percent, while the Liberals, below 1 percent announced "an
autumn of decisions." Sahra Wagenknecht, who has fallen ill and
cannot celebrate with the fledgling party that bears her name,
wins a 12.3 percent on her debut in the state. While the Linke,
at 3 percent, admits "disaster."
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