Berlin holds court-ordered rerun of chaotic state election

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s capital city is holding a court-ordered rerun of a chaotic 2021 state election that was marred by severe glitches at many polling stations. On Sunday, exit polls showed that the center-right Christian Democrats were ahead with with 27.5% of the vote, followed by the Social Democrats and the Greens, which both had 18.5%, according to public broadcaster ARD. After the 2021 election, Franziska Giffey led Berlin as mayor in a three-party left-wing governing coalition with the Greens and the Left party. Giffey belongs to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats. The exit polls leave open who will become Berlin’s next mayor as several different coalition options are possible.