Left Party Fixes List for State Election - Simone Oldenburg to Lead Left Party in Key German State Election
Simone Oldenburg is set to lead the Left Party into Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's state election this September. The Education Minister will be nominated as the party's top candidate at an upcoming conference in Rostock. No other contenders have come forward for the position.
The Left Party's state conference will finalise the candidate list, ensuring a 50 percent gender balance. Oldenburg's nomination comes as the party aims to rebuild support after a decline in recent elections.
In 2021, the Left Party won 9.9 percent of the vote, securing nine seats in the Schwerin state parliament. This marked a drop from 13.2 percent in 2016 and 16.5 percent in 2011. Current polls, however, suggest a possible recovery.
A Forsa survey from February 19 put the party at 11 percent support. An earlier Infratest dimap poll in January had them slightly higher at 12 percent. Analysts link the potential uptick to voter dissatisfaction with the federal coalition government, opposition to the far-right AfD, and the high profile of state SPD leader Robert Habeck.
If the Left Party reaches 11–12 percent in September, it would reverse years of declining results. The outcome could also reshape the balance of power in Schwerin's parliament. The final candidate list will be confirmed at the Rostock conference.
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