Germans on holiday in Kerala cast postal votes for federal polls

Thiruvananthapuram: In a historic first, four German nationals currently vacationing in Kerala cast their postal votes for Germany’s federal elections at the German Honorary Consulate in the city on Monday. Rainer Helbing, Uta Helbing, Evelyn Kirn, and Veronika Zhuravleva participated in the voting process for the February 23 elections.

This marks the first instance of German citizens voting in national elections from Kerala. The voting was overseen by Syed Ibrahim, the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kerala.

The election follows the collapse of the Traffic Coalition between the Socialist Party of Germany, Free Democrats, and the Greens in November, which triggered an early election, set seven months ahead of schedule. Key issues such as the rise of the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), U.S. business tycoon Elon Musk's controversial posts allegedly aimed at influencing German voters, and rising anti-migrant sentiments have made this year’s elections especially polarized and volatile.

The Goethe-Zentrum, a German language and cultural center in Thiruvananthapuram, served as the polling station for this event. Established in 2008 with a focus on offering German language courses, the center also provides modern amenities like air-conditioned classrooms, smart boards, a cafeteria, amphitheater, garden, and self-study rooms. The Indo-German Language and Cultural Society manages the Goethe-Zentrum in Trivandrum and its Kochi branch.

Over the years, Kerala has become a popular destination for German tourists, with German nationals accounting for 5 to 7 percent of foreign tourists visiting the state annually. Additionally, Kerala has long been a source of skilled workers for Germany, with many Indian nurses and students from Kerala contributing significantly to the German workforce and academic institutions.

With IANS inputs