Big rallies, too, have been a challenge. Rather than staging them in large outdoor spaces, parties are largely planning events indoors, which gives them less flexibility on how many people can attend. The upcoming Carnival season, which begins just days after Germans head to the polls, has also made it tough to book space on short notice.
Ahead of Germany’s 2021 election, Greens politician Annalena Baerbock held a rally in her hometown of Potsdam, just outside Berlin. An evening event outdoors in September was no problem — but a similar event this year saw the temperature drop to barely above freezing by the time Baerbock had finished speaking.
After deciding to move the rally outdoors due to space concerns, Greens officials had set up a stand serving tea and hot Punsch next to the rally and suggested that supporters purchase party-branded hats and scarves to stay warm. The candidate herself, donning a thick coat and warm winter cap pulled down over her ears, made reference to the cold as she opened her speech.
“We didn’t want half of you to show up and then have to stand outside the door,” Baerbock said. “Now everyone is standing outside — that’s what we call solidarity. And hopefully there’s some punch, too.”
Gloomy weather, gloomy moods
For those worried about having to brave the cold to get to the polls on election day, federal election officials encouraged them to vote by mail, and told POLITICO that local electoral districts are taking precautions to ensure safe access to polling places.
But an especially cold day could of course keep some people from showing up to vote. The Jan. 25, 1987 election in what was then West Germany saw the lowest turnout since 1949.