Host Nation Update, Feb. 24, 2025
Bundestag election 2025
The CDU wins in Böblingen
The CDU won the most votes in Böblingen in the 2025 Bundestag election. This is the official final result. In Böblingen, the CDU won the most second votes on Sunday with 29.7 percent, well ahead of the AfD (19.1 percent). The strongest force in the early election remains the same as in the 2021 general election. Back then, the CDU won the most votes (24.0%).
The Ampel or traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, which was dissolved in November, received 55.9% in 2021 and 35.3% on Sunday. The AfD made the biggest gains in the second votes: Compared to the 2021 federal election, its second vote result rose by 8.9 percentage points. The CDU also gained 5.7 percentage points. The FDP suffered the biggest losses – down 11.1 percentage points. The BSW is running for the Bundestag for the first time in the current election and achieved 5.1% from a standing start.
Boeblingen’s Marc Biadacz received the most first votes for the CDU (33.8 percent) ahead of Markus Frohnmaier from the AfD (19.1 percent). However, who gets a chance to win a direct mandate is determined by the result in the entire constituency. Other turnout in Böblingen was 80.2 percent on Sunday. Statewide, the figure was 83.4 percent. Compared to the last Bundestag election in 2021, voter turnout in Böblingen increased, with 74.8 percent casting their vote. The state average at that time was 77.8%.
In previous federal elections, Böblingen has been a safe bet for the CDU, as the trend since the 2013 federal election shows: How unusual is the election result in Böblingen? To find out, let’s compare the result in Böblingen with the rest of Baden-Württemberg. Like a string of pearls, we line up the second vote results of the parties in all municipalities and thus show the range – the further to the right a point is, the better the result of the party. The chart shows the performance of the traffic light parties, CDU, AfD, Linke and BSW in a state comparison, with each dot representing a municipality: The CDU’s performance in Böblingen is the most unusual in a state comparison. In Baden-Württemberg as a whole, the party received 31.6 percent of the vote, in Böblingen it was 29.7 percent.
Large cities often vote differently than villages, urban regions differently than rural ones. There are 344 municipalities in Baden-Württemberg that are similar in size and urban location. Compared with them, the election result in Böblingen is rather typical. In the following chart, we compare Böblingen exclusively with these similar municipalities in Baden-Württemberg. The CDU’s share of the vote is somewhat lower. The comparatively greatest success was achieved by the Left Party. (SN, Feb 24, 2025)
American choir in Stuttgart – International choir is looking for singers
The Stuttgart German-American Community Chorus will present the work “Unconditional Love” on March 23 in Stuttgart – and they are still looking for singers. The Stuttgart German-American Community Chorus (SGACC) was founded in 1977 when American soldiers stationed here performed together with Germans and rehearsed in the Robinson and Patch Barracks. This went well until many Americans were withdrawn from Germany in the early 1990s. But the choir still exists – now as an international choir for all those who can communicate well in English as well as their native language. English or American is still the No. 1 language at rehearsals, and the conductor’s baton is firmly in the hands of Merrillan Watson. Rehearsals take place in a hall belonging to the Sängerbund in Stuttgart-Münster. (SN, Feb 24, 2025)
Three years of Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – commemoration in Filderstadt
Three years have passed since Russia’s devastating war of aggression against Ukraine. To mark the anniversary on February 24, Christoph Traub, Lord Mayor of Filderstadt, is once again inviting people to a commemorative event for Ukraine and the twin city of Poltava, as he has done in previous years. Only a few weeks ago, the twin town of Filderstadt, Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Ostfildern was once again the target of Russian missiles. According to the news agency dpa, 15 people, including two children, were killed in the attack on a residential building. A further 17 people were injured. Numerous residential buildings and a kindergarten were damaged, according to Traub, who regularly communicates with people on the ground, in particular with the First Mayor of Poltava, Valerij Parkhomenko.
In light of this tragedy, the mayors of the three partner municipalities Filderstadt, Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Ostfildern have expressed their deep solidarity with the people of Poltava and Ukraine as a whole. They all agree: in these difficult times, it is important to fly the flag, send a signal of solidarity and also remember the victims. That is why the solidarity event on Monday, February 24, is also a standing together, a symbolic togetherness and a demonstration for peace, freedom, democracy and friendship. The event begins at 5 p.m. in the main hall of the Filharmonie Culture and Congress Center on Tübinger Straße in Filderstadt-Bernhausen.
In addition to a speech by Mayor Christoph Traub, there will also be a minute’s silence on Monday evening for all the victims who lost their lives as a result of Russia’s war of aggression. A direct link to the mayor, Valerij Parkhomenko, is also planned. Ukrainian children, who are currently attending the Filderstadt music school, will provide the musical framework for the memorial service. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has been shaking the world for three years now. From the very beginning, the three large district towns of Filderstadt, Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Ostfildern have declared their solidarity with Ukraine. (SN, Feb 24, 2025)