Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 17 (NationPress) In a groundbreaking event, four German citizens currently enjoying their vacation in Kerala have exercised their right to vote by casting postal ballots for their nation’s federal elections at the German Honorary Consulate located in the city on Monday.

Rainer Helbing, Uta Helbing, Evelyn Kirn, and Veronika Zhuravleva participated in the voting process for the elections scheduled on February 23.

This marks the initial instance of German nationals voting in national elections while being in Kerala.

Syed Ibrahim, the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kerala, supervised the voting activity of these four German citizens.

The recent collapse of the Traffic Coalition involving the Socialist Party of Germany, Free Democrats, and the Greens has precipitated an early election, occurring at least seven months ahead of schedule.

This year’s elections have become notably polarized due to various factors, including the rise of the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), alleged attempts by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk to sway German voters via his public endorsements of the AfD, and rising anti-migrant sentiments.

The polling location, Goethe-Zentrum, was inaugurated in 2008 with the aim of providing German language education from levels A1 to C2.

The Indo-German Language and Cultural Society oversees the Goethe-Zentrum in Trivandrum and its branch in Kochi.

The center boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including air-conditioned classrooms equipped with smart boards, along with amenities such as a cafeteria, an amphitheater, a garden, and a self-study area.

Over the years, Kerala has seen an influx of German tourists, with German nationals constituting an average of 5 to 7 percent of the international visitors to the state.

Additionally, many Indian nurses employed in Germany hail from Kerala, and a significant number of Indian students are currently pursuing studies in Germany.