Schwerin in election fever: Holm challenges Schwesig!

Schwerin in election fever: Holm challenges Schwesig!

The next state election will take place in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on September 20, 2026. A central duel is already emerging: Leif-Erik Holm, AfD district association Schwerin, is running as a direct candidate in constituency 8. The state leader of the AfD prevailed with 88 percent of the votes at a general meeting. This makes him the challenger to Manuela Schwesig (SPD), who will also run in this constituency and won the election in 2021 with 46.4 percent. Holm has ambitious goals: He plans to take the constituency from Schwesig and is aiming for an absolute majority for the AfD.

Holm, who is also a member of the Bundestag, intends to be elected as candidate for prime minister at a party conference in November, although he will forego the top spot on the list. Internally there is controversy within the party as Enrico Schult has been proposed as the top candidate, while Holm aims to win a direct mandate and enjoy the support of the entire party. The power struggle between Holm and Schult could therefore increase in intensity in the coming months. Holm emphasizes that the election will be decided in Schwerin and is doing everything he can to win the constituency.

Elections and surveys at a glance

The political mood in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also reflected in the surveys. In the federal election in February 2025, the AfD achieved an impressive 35 percent. In a survey from April 2023, the AfD was the strongest force with 29 percent, followed by the SPD with 21 percent, the CDU with 17 percent, the Left with 15 percent and the BSW with 6 percent. These numbers make you sit up and take notice and show that the AfD is very popular both among the population and in the political spectrum.

The last state election on September 26, 2021 brought the SPD 39.6 percent, the AfD 16.7 percent and the CDU 13.3 percent. The Left, the Greens and the FDP were also in the state parliament at that time with 9.9, 6.3 and 5.8 percent. However, the surveys are only projections and, as experience shows, can deviate by up to 3 percentage points at the time of the election. Nevertheless, they give a clear impression of the current mood in the country, which can vary from election to election. The political arena remains exciting!

Other parties, including the CDU, have also nominated their direct candidates. Daniel Peters was elected in Rostock with 100 percent approval. Alliance 90/The Greens and the Left are also planning nomination meetings for their top candidates, with Education Minister Simone Oldenburg being considered a possible top candidate for the Left.

The battles in the constituencies are taking shape. It remains to be seen how the parties will implement their strategies before the election and what surprises voters will have in store. The election campaign between Holm and Schwesig will certainly attract a lot of eyes, especially in Schwerin.