AfD in the Berlin election: behind the left, the CDU and its own demands

The AfD improved its result in the election to the Berlin House of Representatives, but is clearly behind the Left and the CDU - and probably also its own demands. According to initial projections, the extreme right-wing party has 13.9 percent and is in a close race with the Greens for third place.

In the repeat election in 2023, the AfD achieved 9.1 percent. However, the gains had become apparent. Surveys recently estimated the party at 17 to 19 percent. In addition, the AfD had already achieved 15.2 percent in the 2025 federal election in Berlin - and in the 2016 House of Representatives election, the AfD also achieved a similarly high result of 14.2 percent. Looking at these numbers, the current vote gains are low at best.

In any case, it is a significantly weaker result than in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where elections also took place on Sunday. In addition, the AfD will not play a role in forming a government in Berlin.

"After the three state elections in Berlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt, many questions arise that go beyond state politics. Is something currently shifting in the German party landscape? We'll discuss this live and in the stream in the Bundestalk in the taz canteen in Berlin tomorrow evening. You can register here.

Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the party has established itself in Berlin. The strongholds are mainly outside the S-Bahn ring and more in the east of the city, where the AfD is also likely to win direct mandates (current figures on taz.de). The future parliamentary group in the House of Representatives is expected to have at least 20 seats.

Even cooperation with the BSW in the House of Representatives - provided the Wagenknecht party gets over the 5 percent hurdle - is likely to remain ineffective. According to initial forecasts, both parties together would have less than a quarter of the seats and would therefore miss the quorum to set up a committee of inquiry.

During the election campaign, the Berlin AfD primarily played down itself. The external appearance of top candidate and state leader Kristin Brinker, which is moderate by AfD standards, is intended to give the state association a civil appearance.

Behind this facade, the ethnic-nationalist movement also dominates in Berlin. Their representatives can be found at the top of the list and therefore also in the new House of Representatives. These include the deputy regional leader Alexander Bertram, the head of the Berlin party youth, Martin Kohler, and the former “wing” chairwoman Jeannette Auricht.

But state leader Kristin Brinker is by no means moderate either. When asked about the difference between her and Thuringia's AfD leader, the fascist Björn Höcke, she replied: "He is a man, I am a woman." And: “We are members of a party.”

It was only on Saturday that Brinker made the headlines because the police searched the apartment of an employee and found Nazi memorabilia and drugs. The man is also suspected of violating the Explosives and Weapons Act.

Brinker immediately downplayed the incident. She said of her employee: "I never had any indication that he ticked in that way. He's just a collector."

In terms of content, the party focused on the issue of rents in the election campaign - in its own tone. The racist campaign “Apartments are not asylum homes” tried to score points in the field. In addition, the AfD campaigned with “remigration” demands, law and order and discipline in schools.

Apparently it was of little use to the party. There was also no additional mobilization effect after the election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, as were noticeable vote gains due to the higher voter turnout.

As soon as the formation of a government in Berlin is completed, the Berlin AfD is threatened with further trouble: The Office for the Protection of the Constitution will then want to inform whether the regional association is being observed as a suspected right-wing extremist case.