On the result of the Bavarian state election on 08/10/2023, Henrike Hahn, Bavarian member of the European Parliament (The Greens/EFA), member of the Industry Committee (ITRE), substitute member of the Budgets (BUDG) and Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) Committee and deputy spokesperson of the German Green MEPs, comments:

"The shift to the right in the elections in Bavaria and Hesse is very painful. The political landscape in Germany has changed. Despite the heated atmosphere during the Bavarian election campaign, the Greens in Bavaria achieved a decent result of 14.4% in the state elections with very strong Green results in Munich and Würzburg. This is a solid basis for a strong upcoming green European election campaign in Bavaria.

The Christian Social Union (CSU), Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Free Voters (Freie Wähler) have worked in their election campaign with fake news, fear-mongering and division instead of facts, political factual arguments, optimistic courage and clear values. It is to be expected that right-wing populists will try to use these instruments in the upcoming European election campaign as well.

The CSU as Manfred Weber's home party focused on cultural warfare in the Bavarian state election campaign. Antisemitism was opposed verbally by Markus Söder after the scandal with Hubert Aiwanger - nevertheless the CSU continued to work in a coalition with the ‘Free Voters’ forming the Bavarian state government despite open questions in that regard.

Those who incite hate are also responsible for the consequences. Those who nourish fear instead of finding solutions instrumentalize people instead of benefiting them. Those who join forces with right-wing populists make them even stronger and will find it hard to get rid of them eroding the values that underpin a civilized European society.

In the European Parliament, we Greens will keep a close eye if the EPP is forging alliances with the far right in view of the European elections and thus ultimately acting in an anti-European manner.

Right-wing populist majorities are tampering with democracy and the rule of law and the European Union as a guarantor of security and prosperity.

In Europe, we need immigration for the labour market. Xenophobia is not only indecent - it is also a danger to a future-proof economy and the future functioning of a tax payed social welfare system.

Those who reject environmental and climate protection deny to the industry and SMEs a future-proof foundation for their businesses. There is no good in far-right positions for Bavaria and Europe.»

I will be happy to answer any further questions