Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Via AP news wire

Berlin vote count questioned over election day glitches

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Numerous election day glitches in the German capital have prompted calls for the result to be scrutinized, with one politician saying Thursday that his party plans to challenge the outcome of the vote.

Long lines formed outside many polling stations in Berlin on Sunday as voters struggled with extra ballot papers for simultaneous federal, state and district elections — plus a city-wide referendum.

Despite the election officially ending at 6 p.m. (1600GMT) voters who were already lined up by then were allowed to cast their ballots.

Some polling stations ran out of ballot papers during the day, while others received ones for the wrong district. This led to a large share of ballots being declared invalid in some polling stations.

The top election official in Berlin state announced her resignation Wednesday.

Martin Sonneborn, a European lawmaker, said Thursday that his satirical party, The Party, would be challenging the vote.

Clarity about whether the voting irregularities affect the outcome isn't expected before the certified vote count is published on Oct. 14.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.