Berlin state election sees Linke surge while top CDU and SPD figures lose seats

Polling day and turnout conditions

Around 2.5 million eligible voters in Berlin were called to the polls on 20 September 2026 to elect a new Abgeordnetenhaus. More than 2,500 polling stations opened across the city from 08:00 to 18:00, supported by up to 40,000 electoral volunteers. The vote included 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time in the city's state parliamentary elections. Seventeen political parties contested the election with state lists, which is half the number of parties that ran in the 2023 repeat election. In addition to electing the state parliament, roughly 2.7 million residents, including non-German European Union citizens, were eligible to vote in elections for the capital's twelve district assemblies.

Left party gains and green stronghold flip

Preliminary ballot counts showed strong gains for Die Linke across multiple city districts. In the traditional Green stronghold of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Die Linke captured 44% of the party list vote with 92% of districts counted, while the Greens dropped to 20.8%. In 2023, the Greens had won the district with 33.5% compared to 21.1% for Die Linke. Die Linke candidate Elif Eralp won the direct mandate in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg 1 with 50.4% of the vote, defeating Green contender Kübra Beydaș at 17.2%. In the district's second constituency, Linke candidate Michael Efler took the lead over Green candidate Katrin Schmidberger as Die Linke led in all five local constituencies. Eralp's campaign also attracted attention in Turkish media broadcasts.

Historical result in Germany: In Berlin, the victory goes to the party of the Turkish-origin mayoral candidate Elif Eralp.

Mixed fortunes for CDU leaders

Senior CDU politicians recorded mixed individual outcomes on Sunday night. Current Governing Mayor Kai Wegner secured the Spandau 5 constituency, leading with 32.3% ahead of SPD candidate Susanne Drescher at 19.6% after 47 of 50 voting precincts reported. Wegner had stood down from his lead candidacy in July 2026 following disputes regarding his crisis communications during a January power failure in southwestern Berlin. Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch defended Marzahn-Hellersdorf 5 with 31.7% against Thomas Harder of the AfD at 24.1%. In Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf 7, Justice Senator Felor Badenberg led with 26.2% after 48 of 50 precincts reported.

Prominent losses and legislative departures

CDU lead candidate and Finance Senator Stefan Evers lost his direct constituency race in Treptow-Köpenick 4, winning 24.5% of the vote against Alexander Bertram of the AfD at 31.5%. Evers, who assumed leadership of the CDU campaign in July 2026 and took on the culture portfolio in April 2026, entered parliament through the party's district list. Former Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey failed to secure a parliamentary seat after finishing with 26.3% in Neukölln 6 against CDU candidate Olaf Schenk at 27.7%. Because her district association did not grant her a place on the SPD party list, the direct defeat ends Giffey's tenure in the Abgeordnetenhaus, though she remains Economy Senator until a new administration forms. SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach took third place in Steglitz-Zehlendorf 2 with 19.7%, behind Tom Cywinski of the CDU at 22.7% and Daniel Eliasson of the Greens at 20.6%.