The Saxon SPD has expressed its disappointment with the outcome of the European elections in Germany. "I cannot be satisfied with the result for my SPD, even though we are once again the strongest party in the progressive camp (...)", said Matthias Ecke, the leading candidate in Saxony, on Sunday after the first projections. Nationwide, the SPD was behind the CDU and the AfD with 14 percent. Ecke was attacked during the election campaign in Dresden and beaten until he was ready for hospitalization. "It was the toughest election campaign we've ever seen - with verbal and physical attacks. This is a challenge for democracy. We have to take this seriously and work through it so that we learn the right lessons for the future."
Ecke was also pleased about his foreseeable re-entry into the European Parliament and the increased voter turnout: "This also shows that people see the European Parliament as a representative of their interests. That strengthens our backs." He took a differentiated view of the AfD's result. The AfD had remained well below the interim poll figures, but had made gains. It is now up to the other parties to develop appropriate strategies to counter this: "However, we also see that the growth of the AfD has limits."
