Germans in Lower Saxony go to the polls
Published: 04:10 PM,Oct 09,2022 | EDITED : 08:10 PM,Oct 09,2022
2129773
HANOVER: Voters went to the polls in Germany's north-western state of Lower Saxony on Sunday, in what was expected to be a close race between Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and their Christian Democratic (CDU) challengers.
With soaring inflation, an energy crunch and a potential looming recession weighing on Germans, some 6.1 million people in the large state that stretches from the North Sea to the Harz mountains are eligible to elect a new state parliament.
By 12:30 pm (10:30 GMT), voter turnout was 24.59 per cent, a little lower than the 26.91 per cent who had voted by the same time in the last elections five years ago. The turnout figure does not include postal votes, which are expected to be especially high this year.
The polling booths are open until 6 pm.
Lower Saxony is led by the centre-left SPD, in a coalition with the conservative CDU. The most recent surveys put the SPD slightly ahead of the CDU.
During the election campaign, the SPD focused heavily on the popularity of its state premier, Stephan Weil. The polls indicate Weil has a personal lead of several percentage points ahead of his CDU rival, Bernd Althusmann.
'We hope for a strong turnout. And we hope for a strong result for the SPD,' Weil said as he cast his vote in Hanover on Sunday morning.
Althusmann said he was counting on a 'strong CDU,' arguing that the serious crisis required a stable government.
Weil is seeking a third term but is aiming for an alliance with the Greens this time around. The two parties - plus the liberal Free Democrats - form Scholz's government at the federal level.
The energy crisis and rising prices have been the dominant issues in the campaign, meaning the election outcome will be closely watched by the federal government in Berlin.
State policy such as a lack of teachers and a restructuring of agriculture are the top local issues, but have taken a back seat to the national concerns.
With about 8 million inhabitants, Lower Saxony is the fourth most populous federal state in Germany. The state parliament is elected for five years. -- dpa
With soaring inflation, an energy crunch and a potential looming recession weighing on Germans, some 6.1 million people in the large state that stretches from the North Sea to the Harz mountains are eligible to elect a new state parliament.
By 12:30 pm (10:30 GMT), voter turnout was 24.59 per cent, a little lower than the 26.91 per cent who had voted by the same time in the last elections five years ago. The turnout figure does not include postal votes, which are expected to be especially high this year.
The polling booths are open until 6 pm.
Lower Saxony is led by the centre-left SPD, in a coalition with the conservative CDU. The most recent surveys put the SPD slightly ahead of the CDU.
During the election campaign, the SPD focused heavily on the popularity of its state premier, Stephan Weil. The polls indicate Weil has a personal lead of several percentage points ahead of his CDU rival, Bernd Althusmann.
'We hope for a strong turnout. And we hope for a strong result for the SPD,' Weil said as he cast his vote in Hanover on Sunday morning.
Althusmann said he was counting on a 'strong CDU,' arguing that the serious crisis required a stable government.
Weil is seeking a third term but is aiming for an alliance with the Greens this time around. The two parties - plus the liberal Free Democrats - form Scholz's government at the federal level.
The energy crisis and rising prices have been the dominant issues in the campaign, meaning the election outcome will be closely watched by the federal government in Berlin.
State policy such as a lack of teachers and a restructuring of agriculture are the top local issues, but have taken a back seat to the national concerns.
With about 8 million inhabitants, Lower Saxony is the fourth most populous federal state in Germany. The state parliament is elected for five years. -- dpa