Election Shift?

Sunday's election in Bremen, a regional election, probably turned some heads and surprised a few news media folks.

The 2011 election was a big deal for the SPD and Green Party.  Both carried a fairly strong voting situation.

The 2015 election from Sunday?  The SPD carried around 33-percent of the vote (a five-percent loss since 2011).  The Greens were in a similiar position.....getting 15.7-percent of the vote (a seven-percent loss since 2011).

Where did the votes go?  The CDU picked up 22-percent of the vote (getting barely two-percent more than they did in 2011).

The AfD didn't exist in 2011.....but in this election.....they picked up around 5.7-percent.  The Linke Party and FDP both picked up three to four percent more than they did in 2011.....so you can say these three parties were the real winners of the election.

A shocker for the national strategy of each party?  For the SPD.....yes.  If they'd held to the 2011 numbers.....it might have deemed a success, but losing five percent and watching both the Linke Party and AfD gain votes has to be painful.

Some people are thinking that the Linke Party in 2017 (the next national election) might be pulling the best numbers since their inception.  With some strong debate action and careful strategy.....the Linke Party might pull up to the fifteen to eighteen percent level.  With AfD possibly getting five to eight percent.....both the CDU and SPD might be in some difficult times.