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Daniel Karmann / dpa
In the mayoral election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's state capital Schwerin, there will be a run-off election between incumbent Rico Badenschier (SPD) and the state chairman of the AfD, Leif-Erik Holm. In the first round on Sunday, none of the six candidates achieved an absolute majority.
Badenschier came in second with 42 percent of the votes, while Holm came in second with 27.4 percent. The independent Thomas Tweer, who was supported by the CDU, FDP and the Independent Citizens, came third with 17.1 percent. Three other candidates from the Left, the Greens and a local voters' association came in behind. Voter turnout was 50.6 percent, according to the electoral authority.
On Sunday evening, the Left Party and the Greens recommended that voters of their candidates vote for Badenschier in the run-off election on 18 June. The CDU did not make a recommendation in the first official reaction in the evening.
Schwesig appeals to "all democrats"
The SPD state chairman Manuela Schwesig called the 42 percent for Badenschier a "strong result". He had done a good job as mayor, she emphasized. With a view to the second round of voting, the Prime Minister appealed: "Now it is important that all democrats stand together and send a clear signal for Schwerin and against the AfD in the run-off election in two weeks."
The Lord Mayor of Schwerin is elected for a seven-year term. The 44-year-old physician Badenschier has been at the helm of the state capital since 2016. The 52-year-old former radio presenter Holm has been deputy chairman of the AfD parliamentary group since 2017.
atb/dpa/AFP