In Hesse, there are likely to be some surprises in the local elections in 2021.
In addition to the success of the Greens in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, the AfD can also gain ground.
Fulda - Around 4.7 million eligible voters cast their votes in the local elections in Hesse today.
So far, the election result in Fulda could cause a sensation.
According to the trend results for the district council, after the CDU with 40.20 percent, the AfD with 15.73 percent appears to be the second strongest force.
Local elections in Hesse: AfD becomes the second strongest force in Fulda
All polling stations are now closed.
The election workers have been busy counting the first votes since 6 p.m. and more and more results come with every hour.
At the moment, many eyes in Hesse are likely to focus primarily on the first trends in the district election in Fulda.
Here everything points to a landslide-like entry of the AfD into the city council of Fulda.
In addition, the AfD seems to be the second strongest force in the district council after the CDU.
In the city, there is also the special feature of this election that in addition to the election of the city council and the local councils as well as the election of the Fulda district council, the election of the mayor and the election of the foreigners' council of the city of Fulda also take place.
Local election in Hesse: Fulda renewed AfD stronghold
Even if the results may irritate one or the other observer, they are not surprising.
Fulda has long been considered an AfD stronghold.
As early as 2016, the party achieved 15 percent in the local elections and was thus above the average result in Hesse.
In the 2017 federal election, the party even achieved its best result in Hesse in Fulda.
The AfD was able to gain ground in Fulda, primarily through the former CDU member Martin Hohmann.
He was expelled from the CDU in 2003 after anti-Semitic statements.
He is now sitting in the Bundestag for the AfD.
AfD successes in local elections in Hesse: Almost 25 percent in a community
In the last city council election in 2016, the year of the refugee crisis, the AfD did not stand for election.
At that time the right-wing conservative Republicans were able to unite a not inconsiderable share of the vote.
In 2018, the Republicans in Fulda disbanded.
Some of the former Republican voters are now likely to have migrated to the AfD.
The AfD can also claim a great victory in the Hessian community of Hierzhain.
A total of 24.09% of the electorate voted for the party.
This puts it just behind the CDU (27.49%).
AfD held first success from the refugee year 2016
What is generally surprising: The AfD can defend its high first result from the year of the refugee crisis in many places.
While the victory in 2016 was declared with the refugee crisis, the AfD has now established itself as a party throughout Hesse, including at the local level.
Often with double-digit percentages.
Local elections in Hesse: Greens are facing a sensation in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden
In addition to Fulda, many eyes are likely to be directed towards Frankfurt.
In the election for the city council, the Greens, with 23.8 percent, can expand their lead over the formerly strongest party, the CDU, by three percent.
Mayor Peter Feldmann's SPD follows in third place with 17.7 percent.
For the Social Democrats, that's a clear loss compared to 2016, when they were able to get 23.8 percent.
But the corruption scandals surrounding the AWO Frankfurt plunged Feldmann's social democrats into a serious crisis and are likely to have significantly weakened the party's profile.
Similar to Frankfurt, the state capital Wiesbaden is also expected to be a green success.
Here, too, the party is with 21 percent ahead of the CDU with 20.1 percent.
The SPD follows closely with 19.2 percent and in fourth place is the AfD with 11.3 percent.
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