The city of Hamburg goes to the polls on....>

GERMANY: The city of Hamburg goes to the polls on Sunday in state elections that

are likely to deliver a win for the incumbent SPD-Green coalition.

- Hamburg polling in Feb: SPD 34-39%, Greens 23-32%, CDU 12-14%, Die Linke 7-8%,

AfD 5-7%

- The vote in itself shouldn't be viewed as a major indicator of any broader

trends in German politics, with Hamburg a stronghold for the centre-left Social

Democrats for decades. 

- Nevertheless, this will be the first regional vote since the resignation of

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as centre-right CDU chair earlier in Feb, so there

will be some focus on how CDU vote share holds up (15.9% in 2015). 

- Will be the first election since the right-wing terror attack in Hanau on 19

Feb that claimed 9 lives. Attack had no connection to nationalist AfD, but the

party has received criticism for using extreme rhetoric that some say fuels

right-wing terrorists. The impact of the attack is unlikely to see any

significant shift in AfD support in Hamburg, with the party having very little

presence in the city.