According to Spiegel Online [E], Wowereit secured a third five-year term while his party won 28.3% of the vote and held off the resurgent Green Party, which took 17.6% of the vote.
Wowereit, 57, won reelection despite the fact that Berlin struggles with high debt, unemployment, and an influx of tourists seeking the city’s famous cultural and nightlife scenes. Analysts attribute his ballot box success to his personal popularity, which seemed assured in 2001 when he came out at a party conference prior to his election by declaring, “I’m gay, and that’s a good thing.” » | Julie Bolcer | Monday, September 19, 2011
