Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Will economy shape the vote?

The recent election victory of the far-right AfD party in Saxony-Anhalt has shaken up Germany's political landscape. Although Saxony-Anhalt is only a small state, the AfD's landslide win with nearly 44% of the vote has drawn considerable international attention, as it means this would the first time that a far-right party will likely enter a German government since World War II.

That is not expected to happen in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , where voters head to the ballot box on Sunday. State Premier Manuela Schwesig of the center-left Social Democrats remains popular, as polls show, though she isn't without her critics.

The latest polls suggest a neck-and-neck race between the Social Democrats and AfD , rather than a landslide victory for any one party. In fact, the Social Democrats' approval ratings have been on the rise and could indicate a successful final push, potentially returning Schwesig to power.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, like Saxony-Anhalt , is in eastern Germany, but its economy is relatively stable, even though unemployment stands at 7.8%, slightly above the national average, and the median gross annual salary is €47,750 ($54,800) — about €6,000 less than the German average. But Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has seen solid economic growth in recent years.

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