The result of the European elections is a great disappointment for the Greens. The party performed best in Berlin. With 19.6 percent of the vote, the Greens became the strongest force here, but lost more than eight percentage points compared to the European elections five years ago.
The CDU achieved 17.6 percent, the SPD 13.2 percent, the AfD 11.6 percent. The Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) coalition, which ran for the first time, achieved 8.7 percent, while the Left Party, after significant losses, achieved 7.3 percent.
An interesting picture emerges when looking at the districts: the capital appears to be divided into three parts. The west is colored black, the middle green and the east blue.
The CDU is the strongest force in the districts of Reinickendorf, Spandau and Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The party was able to gain ground in each of these districts. In 2019, the Greens were still ahead of the CDU in Steglitz-Zehlendorf.
All developments after the European elections in the live ticker
The Greens won in this election in Pankow, Mitte, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Tempelhof-Schöneberg and Neukölln. The party suffered losses everywhere.
The AfD is ahead in Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf and Treptow-Köpenick. In 2019, the Left was still the strongest force in Lichtenberg and Marzahn-Hellersdorf. At that time, the Greens were in the lead in Treptow-Köpenick.
Another look back: The result was different in the 2021 and 2024 federal elections (repeat election). The SPD was also able to win the majority in six districts in the west and east of the city based on second votes. The CDU became the strongest force in one district, the Greens in five districts.
What is remarkable about the European elections is that the BSW also achieved its best results in the eastern districts, especially in Marzahn-Hellersdorf with 17.1 percent. The AfD and BSW together achieved 42.4 percent here – more than the CDU, SPD, Left and Greens combined (40.1 percent).
The Left, on the other hand, is losing heavily in Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf and Treptow-Köpenick. The BSW is about to overtake it in Berlin. The Left is only ahead of the BSW in three districts (Mitte, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Neukölln).
Voter turnout in Berlin – as in Germany as a whole – is higher than ever before in European elections. 62.3 percent of the approximately 2.5 million eligible voters in Berlin took part. The often-held theory that higher voter turnout means weak results for the AfD is not really confirmed for Berlin.
In Treptow-Köpenick, for example, 62.9 percent of eligible voters cast their votes, with the AfD becoming the strongest party with 17.3 percent. A completely different picture emerges in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, however: At 69.8 percent, voter turnout was highest here in Berlin, with the AfD only receiving 7.8 percent.
At 64.8 percent, voter turnout in Germany as a whole also reached its highest level since reunification. The highest turnout in an EU election in Germany was at the premiere in 1979, at 65.7 percent – but at that time only in West Germany. By comparison, in federal elections, never less than 70 percent of those entitled to vote have cast ballots.
Looking at Germany, it is also clear that increased voter turnout does not mean a weak AfD result – on the contrary. Compared to 2019, turnout increased most sharply in the Uckermark constituency (66.8 percent), with 12.3 percentage points. The AfD is in the lead here with 32.8 percent.
All results of the European elections in Germany at a glance
In Ostprignitz-Ruppin, voter turnout (65.1 percent) increased by 11.7 percentage points. Here, too, the AfD won with 30 percent, clearly ahead of the CDU.
Voter turnout fell most sharply in Bremen (minus 6.2 points). The AfD only received 9.1 percent here, while the SPD received the most votes.