A few days before the ballot box, the coronavirus continues to spread in Munich. Now the parties are reacting to the tense situation - the election campaign is also affected.
- Local elections will take place in Bavaria * on March 15.
- Munich is also looking for a new mayor.
- We collect all the latest information on the local elections in Munich in the news ticker.
6:02 pm: According to the CSU, the SPD, Greens and Munich lists have also canceled all public events and election parties related to the local elections. The Greens also refrain from further front door election campaigns. "In view of the changed situation with regard to the spread of the corona virus , the CSU Munich is following today's recommendation of the Bavarian State Government to cancel all public events by the end of the Easter holidays," says a press release.
The Greens argue similarly. Party leader Dominik Krause said: “There is no need to panic . In view of the increasing number of Corona cases in Munich, we want to be on the safe side and have therefore canceled our major events and the door-to-door campaign . ”The other parties are still struggling, the SPD wants to decide on a daily basis whether events take place.
The local election itself is carried out. The counting of postal voting documents in the exhibition halls in Riem is also not critical . It is counted in six separate halls, with less than 1,000 people in each. In addition, the counting tables would be set up at a great distance. A maximum of twelve people work on each individual counting island . There are also options for hand disinfection .
Corona virus influences election campaign in Munich: parties draw consequences - "do not panic, but ..."
3:28 pm: The election party of the Munich CSU falls flat. In the afternoon, the party decided to cancel all public appearances by April 19. "We must not panic, but we must take steps to cushion the crisis," said Munich group leader Manuel Pretzl .
@CSUMuenchen cancels the election party on Sunday. Larger events until after Easter. That was just decided at a Bavaria-wide crisis talk. @manuel_pretzl: "We must not panic, but we must take steps to cushion the crisis."
- Emily Engels (@engels_emily) March 10, 2020Update of March 10, 9:11 a.m .: The number of people infected with the coronavirus in Munich rose again on Monday. We keep you up to date with the latest developments in the state capital in our news ticker *.
Munich's campaigners are now taking the first measures , as can be seen from a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung . According to this, the Munich list is already foregoing house door visits to potential voters. In addition, the handshake is stopped.
According to the current state of affairs, the parties' election parties planned for Sunday should not be influenced by the spread of the corona virus.
Local elections in Munich: Radl plans of the parties - massive changes possible
Update of March 9, 10:37 a.m .: The local elections are imminent in Munich and most other Bavarian cities and municipalities. An important topic in Munich's local politics: cycling . There is hardly a topic in Munich that polarizes as much as the expansion of the cycling infrastructure . For example, there is trouble * on Fraunhoferstrasse because bike paths have been set up and parking lots have been deleted. The municipal election will therefore also have to make a decision in this area. Because the parties have different plans when it comes to cycling infrastructure.
Local elections in Munich: The Greens' Radl plans
Greens OB candidate Katrin Habenschaden was in Copenhagen to get an idea of how a turnaround towards more cycling can work. Denmark's metropolis is considered the cycling capital. "But that wasn't always the case," says Habenschaden. “The trend towards bicycles only started when the city created the necessary infrastructure . In the meantime, a network of wide, separated from the car lanes and therefore safe bike paths runs through the whole city. ”The result is that the streets in Copenhagen are empty again and there are much less traffic jams than before. “We Greens initiated the cycling decision * . Now we have to work on the implementation so that the traffic areas in Munich are distributed more fairly , in favor of public transport and cycling . "
Local elections in Munich: the cycling plans of the SPD
When it comes to cycling, the SPD continues to focus on launching ten specific projects with improvements for cycling * every quarter . "We want to expand cycle paths, quickly implement the high-speed routes and the Altstadtradlring and drive improvements such as the green wave or the turning arrow for cyclists, " said group leader Verena Dietl. It was also important to make traffic more compatible for everyone. This can only succeed if the residents and traders in the neighborhood are listened to and joint solutions are found. “Copenhagen can be a role model, for example, and there are many good ideas there. But for me it is clear: role models are good - what works, we have to find out here with us, with our own Munich way - determined and together. "
Local elections in Munich: the CSU's Radl plans
CSU -OB candidate Kristina Frank does not want to give the bike a right of way. “Munich's transport infrastructure needs interlocking solutions. Modern mobility for all ages and all needs. No one-sided red-green traffic policy . ”The CSU is about being together, not against each other. “We do n't want constraints, we want incentives . For this, a well-developed, secure cycling network is essential . ”That is why the CSU has invested more in cycling than red-green before. "In order to eliminate the competition in the street space, we have to think in 3D." Cycle paths should primarily be built on low-traffic side streets, bike highways raised above main roads like in Copenhagen. "At the same time, sufficient bike parking spaces and a bike and ride ring must be created."
Local elections in Munich: OB candidates meet in the election arena
Update from March 5, 3:08 pm: In a few hours it will be serious for the Munich OB candidates. Katrin Habenschaden (Greens) , Kristina Frank (CSU) and incumbent Dieter Reiter (SPD) meet in the electoral arena of tz , Münchner Merkur and 95.5 Charivari for an exchange of blows. Here you can follow the summit in a live stream.
Update of March 4, 2:51 p.m .: Björn Habenschaden , husband of the candidate for the candidate Katrin Habenschaden (Greens) , jumps in to his wife in public - and receives for his Facebook post that begins with "Now I want to and I have to clarify something" , much attention. In the posting, he fights against rumors that his family is suffering from the campaign by the Green Party politician. Politicians supposedly have no family life and a poorly managed household - especially when the woman is the politician and more away from home? Nonsense, says Björn Habenschaden .
"Our children and I are doing very well," he writes. He would mostly work part-time because of the children - and even five days a week in the hot campaign phase. “I was and am always there for our children, learn with them, cook, wash and whatever else comes up. Incidentally, this is quite normal for a lot of people and has been everyday life for tens of years. Only these people are mostly women, ”he adds.
Local elections in Munich: postponement due to corona virus? Electoral Office makes a clear announcement
Update of March 3, 2:15 p.m .: Does the corona virus affect the local elections on March 15 in Munich ? The electoral office of the state capital has now commented on this.
“Going to vote is like shopping in a supermarket or taking the subway - a matter of course. And it is also comparable in terms of the theoretical risk of infection. I understand the worries that some people have about the daily new reports. But when it comes to local elections, they are really unfounded, ”said district administration officer Dr. Thomas Böhle, who is the election manager for Munich in the local elections.
The usual hygiene rules that protect against infection with infectious respiratory diseases are recommended. According to a message from the electoral office "there are opportunities for washing hands all over the buildings of the polling stations." There are options for hand disinfection in the postal voting center. “As with every election, the electoral office provides pens for voting. But each voter can also use their own pen to cast their votes, ”it continues.
The fact that the municipal election has to be postponed due to the corona virus * is currently not up for debate. "There is no reason for a postponement of local elections and there is no sign of it," said the electoral office of the city of Munich .
By the way: You can also read all the latest news on the local elections in Bavaria in our news ticker.
Local elections in Munich: top politicians and celebrities come to the anti-AfD demo
Munich - On Friday, March 6th, representatives of various political groups and activist associations will gather on Munich's Max-Joseph-Platz to shake up the electorate with a large demonstration against hatred .
Before the local elections in Munich: rally under the motto "Vote AfD? Just don't do it "
At least it is the declared goal of the customer giving. The social cooperative "Bellevue di Monaco" calls for publicly opposing right-wing ideas. Under the motto “Vote AfD? Just don't do it “they make a big statement.
Because they are anything but alone. An alliance had launched the demonstration. In addition to the "Bellevue die Monaco", it consists of the civil organizations " Lichterkette eV ", " München ist Bunt " and is supported by numerous celebrities. From the cultural scene, for example, Maximilian Schafroth, Claudia Koreck, Stefan Zinner, Simon Pearce or cabaret legend Gerhard Polt .
2020 local elections: politicians from the CSU, SPD and the Greens set a common signal
At the rally on Friday , the alliance can also look forward to political figures . Markus Söder (CSU), candidate for mayor * Dieter Reiter (SPD) and Claudia Roth (The Greens) will stand together against hatred at the rally.
Religious communities also unite in the matter. Charlotte Knobloch * from the Jewish Community , the Evangelical Regional Bishop Christian Kopp and representatives of the Munich Forum for Islam and the Catholic Church will accompany the demonstration.
"Whether" left "," green "," liberal "or" bourgeois ": we have to fight for our democracy across parties . Society cannot be divided. We can only defend the liberal values of our society together, ”explains“ Bellevue die Monaco ”, the joint approach of the campaign.
Bündnis hopes for high participation in local elections in Munich: it warns of "deadly dead end"
One wants to ensure a high turnout and "make potential AfD voters clear that their party's senseless German dumping is not an" alternative "for Germany, but a deadly dead end ", the cooperative further clarifies. It will also hope that voters will not get confused when it comes to accumulating and variegating, otherwise the ballot will quickly expire.
The AfD complains of a difficult election campaign at local level anyway, it simply does not find enough candidates. The party itself has a rather idiosyncratic explanation *. Unsurprisingly, the clear Munich favorite doesn't come from their ranks either. Nevertheless, such a clear result was a real poll hammer *. Here you will also find polls on local elections * from all over Bavaria.
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* tz.de and Merkur.de are part of the nationwide editorial network of Ippen-Digital.
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Peter Kneffel