Berlin in Five Years

The final results of the election are:

SPD: 21.6
CDU: 17.6
Linke Party: 15.6
Green Party: 15.2
AfD Party: 14.2
FDP: 6.7
Roughly 9-percent went to parties who couldn't go over the five-percent point.

This election was more about urban issues than the national issues.  Most Berliners think that the city is broke and in serious jeopardy.  This new government coming out of this (likely to be the SPD-Linke Party-Greens) will have five years to reshape public opinion and go onto fixing the issues. The odds are...resolutions and repairs won't occur, and this five-year period is mostly about convincing the locals that things did get better.

For the CDU?  It's a lousy trend and obvious that they've lost a quarter of their normal voters (as have the SPD as well).

The things to watch?  The Riga Strasse riots and radicals will see a new slant on things....with the CDU boss over the police being pushed out.  Will the riots continue?

The new Berlin Airport?  Will it open or have more delays?

The housing issues with the immigrants?  Will neighborhoods get more tense and frustrated with city plans?

Will the development of Templehof Airport continue to be discussed item?

This continued talk of making marijuana legal within the city?  Will something finally occur?

If you were looking for an urbanized area with literally hundreds of issues and resolution hidden in the shadows.....Berlin is "it".  I think in five years, when the next election rolls around, the same problems will be projected out and still exist.  In some ways, the SPD is harnessed up to a losing situation.