Berlin’s September vote pits its liberal image against a rightward shift

Far from the city’s bohemian neighbourhoods with their hip clubs and trendy cafes — areas which reliably vote for leftist and green parties — this working-class district is Berlin’s ground zero for a shift to the hard right.

In last year’s national election, the anti-immigration, anti-Islam and Moscow-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) topped the polls with 31 per cent in Marzahn, which is home to many Russian speakers.

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