Berliners have long been frustrated by the German capital's notoriously dysfunctional ways, which have been defying clichés of German efficiency for years and have made the city the laughing stock of the rest of the country.
Berlin held four votes on the same day that year: the state election, an election for the city’s 12 district assemblies, the German national election and a local referendum. The Berlin Marathon, also held the same day, added to logistical difficulties. Franziska Giffey, who belongs to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, was elected Berlin’s new mayor in 2021, and has been leading the city in a three-party left-wing governing coalition. The 44-year-old is now running for mayor again.
In recent polls, the Christian Democrats were leading, ahead of the Social Democrats and the Greens, with a number of other parties also expected to take a significant proportion of the vote. The city’s school system is known for its notoriously dilapidated buildings and students who regularly rank at the bottom of the national scores when it comes to reading, math and other subjects.
What's the story with chaotic elections everywhere? What happened to orderly elections that used to be the norm. Is it the people or the system?