Candidates in Brandenburg and Saxony cast their ballot ahead of a result that could jolt Merkel's coalition

Record ID: 1429588

  • Title: Candidates in Brandenburg and Saxony cast their ballot ahead of a result that could jolt Merkel's coalition
  • Date: 1st September 2019
  • Summary: FORST IN DER LAUSITZ, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SPD CANDIDATE AND BRANDENBURG MINISTER PRESIDENT DIETMAR WOIDKE ENTERING POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF WOIDKE CASTING HIS BALLOT WOIDKE EXITING POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (German) SPD CANDIDATE AND BRANDENBURG MINISTER PRESIDENT, DIETMAR WOIDKE, SAYING: "I am in a good mood. We have carried out an intense election campaign in Brandenburg and I have a very good feeling, not only for what the polls show. I think we are going to up front tonight." VARIOUS OF WOIDKE LEAVING WITH HIS FAMILY MORITZBURG, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) SPD TOP CANDIDATE IN SAXONY MARTIN DULIG ENTERING POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF DULIG CASTING HIS BALLOT PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (German) SPD TOP CANDIDATE IN SAXONY, MARTIN DULIG, SAYING: "There is something at stake today. It is the toughest and most exciting election in 25 years. And today we will vote whether it is about fear or hope. I voted for confidence and I am confident many people are aware of what is on stake today. It is not about September 1st but about September 2nd and how it all goes on. I am optimistic and confident that people know how much their vote is worth and that we get a good result tonight." DULIG LEAVING POTSDAM, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) POLLING STATION SIGN READING "POLLING STATION" VARIOUS OF GREEN PARTY CHIEF ANNALENA BAERBOCK CASTING HER BALLOT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GREEN PARTY CHIEF, ANNALENA BAERBOCK, SAYING: "I hope that people who were not sure whether they would vote or not are casting their ballot today. We want to renew Brandenburg and Saxony, focusing on climate protection. There are so many chances in these two states regarding agriculture policies. We want to address a socially acceptable exit from lignite, but also for this is what we have campaigned for, and now it’s up to the voters to decide what should change in the two states." VOTERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2019 11:47
  • Keywords: Brandenburg Dietmar Woidke Annalena Baerbock election Saxony Angela Merkel AfD Germany Martin Dulig
  • Location: FORST IN DER LAUSITZ, MORITZBURG AND POTSDAM, GERMANY
  • City: FORST IN DER LAUSITZ, MORITZBURG AND POTSDAM, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AUTRDXJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:SPD candidates in Brandenburg and Saxony were hoping for a better result than what polls ahead of the elections in the two east German states showed this week.
    The latest poll put the Social Democrats on 22%, just 1 point ahead of the AfD in Brandenburg, the state neighbouring Poland that has been governed by the SPD since German reunification three decades ago.
    "We have carried out an intense election campaign in Brandenburg and I have a very good feeling, not only for what the polls show. I think we are going to up front tonight," said Brandenburg's Minister President Dietmar Woidke after casting his ballot.
    His colleague in Saxony, Martin Dulig, said it was the toughest and most exciting election in 25 years, that it was all about voting for fear or for hope.
    The SPD has been run by an interim leadership team since their leader stepped down in June after painful losses in the elections for the European Parliament and support for the party nationally is at a record low of about 15%.
    Elections in two east German states on Sunday are set to yield a surge in support for the far right and raise the pressure on conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel's Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners to quit her government.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register