
German political parties clashed over leadership and policy priorities in the final stretch of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election campaign, with the CDU and Greens accusing SPD incumbent Manuela Schwesig of running a self-centered campaign that risks weakening the political center.
CDU Secretary-General Franziska Hoppermann told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that Schwesig was prioritizing her party’s interests over those of the state, adding that her personalized campaign to suppress the CDU was “irresponsible” and ultimately benefited the far-right AfD. “Whoever wants to prevent a left-wing majority must vote CDU,” Hoppermann said. Polls show the AfD leading ahead of the Sept. 20 vote, though Schwesig’s SPD has gained ground in recent weeks. The CDU has slumped to 7%, its worst projected result in a state election, while the Greens hover near 5% and risk losing their parliamentary seats.
Green Party co-leader Felix Banaszak also criticized Schwesig, stating that a left-wing majority was within reach but that her strategy of consolidating anti-AfD voters behind the SPD deliberately risked pushing the CDU or Greens out of the Landtag. “She is running a campaign fixated on herself, with no regard for losses,” Banaszak said .
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