Lower Saxony votes: Local elections test Red-Green government

More than 6.3 million people in Lower Saxony are voting today in local elections, determining mayors, district administrators, and municipal councils one year before the state election. The results will gauge political sentiment in the Red-Green governed state, particularly amid Volkswagen's austerity plans. The AfD's performance is closely watched after its 2021 district-level result of 4.6 percent, with four of its candidates barred over constitutional loyalty concerns. The party's state branch is now classified as a right-wing extremist observation case by the intelligence service, a designation it is legally contesting. Possible runoff elections are scheduled statewide for September 27.