Wahlanalyse

Germany's federal election took place on September 26 last year. The outcome resulted in a three-party coalition, the so-called Ampelregierung (traffic light government).

A couple of days ago, the Bundeswahlleiter (Federal Election Commissioner) published a demoscopic analysis of the results. Here are some of the graphical presentations.

A new record (©Der Spiegel)

The increase in absentee votes isn't surprising. People filled out their ballots at home and mailed them, fearing a Corona infection at the polling station. For Red Baron, it is always a pleasure to personally put his ballot into the box.

©Bundeswahlleiter

Looking into the type of voters who preferred to walk to the polling station, it's interesting to note that the right-wing AfD - many of its members are Corona deniers - refrain from using ballots sent by mail. Strangely enough, the Greens disproportionately cast absentee ballots. By the way, nobody in Germany questions the validity of mail-in ballots.

©Bundeswahlleiter

The map shows the election turnout for Germany's federal states. While high voter participation in Bavaria is explained by support for its governor, Markus Söder, high turnout in Schleswig-Holstein is somewhat unexpected. Note the low number for Sachsen-Anhalt, the federal state with the most significant political disenchantment, and the highest percentages for the right-wing AfD.

©Der Spiegel

The most striking bar graph shows party preference by age. The tendency is impressive. The more senior people prefer our grand old parties, while the Greens and the Liberals are most attractive to the younger generation.

©Bundeswahlleiter

What this means in the long run remains to be seen. Germany's electorate is aging, and will the young carry their preferences into older age? Red Baron is too old to follow this development.

©Bundeswahlleiter

Still, voting behavior differs for these "younger" parties. While young men prefer liberals, girls tend to vote green.

©Bundeswahlleiter

Otherwise, women of all ages voted more traditionally and "greener" than men and despised the AfD.

©Der Spiegel

Analyzing gender-based voting in previous federal elections shows that female voters supported Angela Merkel's governments by voting for the Christian Democrats, although the gender gap is closing.

©Bundeswahlleiter

There is still a big difference between the old and new federal states in voting behavior; the wall still exists between the east and the west. After reunification, Die Linke (The Left) traditionally became the voice of the people of the former German Democratic Republic. But disillusionment soon set in. The left was unable to live up to expectations. 

©Der Spiegel

But there was the other: the right-wing party that caught the dissatisfied. More than 30% of male voters aged 35 to 59 in the "new" federal states voted for the AfD. It hurts.

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