CSU Suffers Historic Setback in Bavaria Local Elections After Nearly 75 Years
The Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU – Christian Social Union) has recorded its worst local election result in Bavaria (Bayern) in nearly 75 years. According to the Landesamt für Statistik (State Office for Statistics), the party received 32.5 percent of votes in city, municipal, and district councils.
The result marks a two-percentage-point drop compared to the 2020 local elections and is the second-lowest performance in the party’s history. The only time the CSU performed worse was in 1952. Despite the decline, the party remains the strongest political force in Bavaria.
The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD – Alternative for Germany) made the biggest gains, receiving 12.2 percent of the vote, an increase of 7.5 percentage points. The Freie Wähler (Free Voters) also saw a slight rise, reaching 12.1 percent, up by 0.2 percentage points. The Free Voters currently govern Bavaria together with the CSU.
Meanwhile, the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The Greens) dropped to 13.6 percent, losing 3.9 percentage points, while the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD – Social Democratic Party of Germany) fell to 12.3 percent, down 1.4 points. Voter groups and smaller parties collectively secured 17.3 percent of the vote.
Voter turnout reached 63.4 percent, nearly five percentage points higher than in the previous local elections. However, the final results of personal elections for mayors and district administrators are still pending, as many candidates will compete in run-off elections scheduled for next Sunday.
Early reports from the statistical office show that only five mayoral candidates in Bavaria’s 22 independent cities achieved the required majority in the first round. In the 62 districts, 33 candidates managed to secure an outright victory, while the remaining positions will be decided in the upcoming run-off vote.