Story perspectives

Die Linke and CDU name Berlin mayoral candidates

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

CDU nominates mayoral candidate

The CDU nominates finance chief Stefan Evers as Berlin mayoral candidate.
Die Linke nominates lawyer Elif Eralp, promising rent freezes and expropriation of large landlords.
Polls on September 11 show the CDU at 21 %, Die Linke at 23 %, and AfD at 17 %.
For the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in the September 20, 2026 Berlin election.
Housing tops concerns for 32 % of Berliners, with rents nearly doubling since 2014.

Summary

WELT launches Instagram

WELT launched an Instagram-native election show hosted by Marlene Barduhn.
Data analyst Marian Grunden and editor Maximilian Heimerzheim appeared on the broadcast.
Reporters Dorothea Schupelius in Berlin and Philippa Vögeding in Schwerin joined via personal Instagram accounts.
Deputy Editor-in-Chief Moritz Seyffarth said journalistic authority depends on people, not the platform.
A U16 election with 39,374 voters gave Die Linke 32.8%, Greens 20.9% and Animal Welfare Party 7.7% despite not crossing 5%.

History

Historical Context

In 1970 West Germany amended its Basic Law, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18; the June 1970 federal election added about 2.5 million voters. The 2021 SPD-Green-FDP deal cut EU voting age to 16 for 2024, and eight states allow 16-year-olds in local polls. Berlin’s 2026 mayoral race now extends suffrage to 16- and 17-year-olds, urging the CDU and Die Linke to address housing costs.

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CDU nominates mayoral candidate

The CDU nominates finance chief Stefan Evers as Berlin mayoral candidate.
Die Linke nominates lawyer Elif Eralp, promising rent freezes and expropriation of large landlords.
Polls on September 11 show the CDU at 21 %, Die Linke at 23 %, and AfD at 17 %.
For the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in the September 20, 2026 Berlin election.
Housing tops concerns for 32 % of Berliners, with rents nearly doubling since 2014.

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