Turkish-heritage candidate wins German state election

The Greens came from behind to narrowly win the Baden-Württemberg election on Sunday, catapulting Cem Özdemir to the premiership and sending shock waves through German politics. It was supposed to be an easy win for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, but their 29.7 percent of the vote was eclipsed by the Greens’ 30.2 percent. The Alternative für Deutschland won 18.8 percent, and the Social Democrats won 5.5 percent. Özdemir will become Germany’s first state premier with a migrant background: His parents migrated to Germany from Turkey as guest workers in the 1960s. As mainstream parties lose ground in Germany, the political landscape becomes increasingly fragmented. Watch for Germans to react by supporting a strong, centralized leader.