Olaf Scholz's German Social Democratic Party won regional test elections in Lower Saxony on Sunday.
The Social Democrats are credited with 32.5% to 33.5% of the vote in this regional state, the second largest in Germany, which they have led since 2013 in coalition, ahead of the conservative party of ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, who won 27.5% of the vote, according to the ARD and ZDF channels.
The two parties are nevertheless down compared to the previous election in 2017, while the far right has made strong progress, reaching around 12%, according to first estimates, i.e. double its score in 2017.
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This election was "
very important
" for Olaf Scholz, said German political scientist Karl-Rudolf Korte on the ZDF channel, it constituted "
a referendum on government policy
" in the face of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis.
However, the Chancellor has seen criticism of him grow in recent months, in the face of soaring inflation and energy supply problems.
He tried to respond to this very recently by announcing a vast plan of 200 billion euros to limit the rise in gas prices, which, however, is attracting criticism from his European partners.
Berlin is accused of going it alone thinking of its own interests and of neglecting European solidarity.