In Germany’s smallest town, Arnis, only one of the 228 eligible voters chose to support the far-right, anti-immigrant party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), during Sunday’s national election. While the AfD made significant gains nationwide and became the country’s second-largest political party, its support levels varied greatly across different regions.
Arnis, located in the northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein, saw just 154 of its eligible voters cast ballots. Nearly 42% of those who voted chose the Green Party, according to the official results. With a population of fewer than 300 people and covering just 0.45 square kilometers (0.17 square miles), Arnis is both Germany’s smallest town by population and area. The town, known for its tourism, fishing industry, marinas, and shipyards, is located along a scenic Baltic Sea inlet.
Jens Matthiesen, the mayor of Arnis, was surprised that even one vote went to the AfD party.
“I’m not sure how that happened,” Matthiesen told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “We’re just glad that only one person voted for this party. We can accept that.”
The AfD’s rise in popularity has been fueled by backlash against the large number of migrants and refugees Germany has taken in over the past decade, along with frustration over a stagnant economy. The party’s gains also reflect dissatisfaction with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government, which has been plagued by internal divisions.
In the latest election, AfD strengthened its position in eastern Germany, particularly in areas that were once part of the former communist East, solidifying its dominance in this region where it won its first state election last year. However, while the party has considerable support nationwide, it struggled to gain traction in areas like Schleswig-Holstein, where it secured just 16.3% of the vote, lower than its national average of 20.8%.
The state, which has alternated between center-right and center-left governments in the past, is currently one of only two in Germany where the AfD has no representation in the regional legislature. This follows the party’s failure to win any seats in a 2022 regional election.
In Arnis, a town founded in 1667 by around 60 families who sought to avoid pledging allegiance to a local lord, Mayor Matthiesen believes it’s unlikely anyone would be able to identify the AfD supporter.
“You can’t tell who it is. The person who voted for AfD won’t come forward either,” Matthiesen said in an interview.