"Voters in North Rhine-Westphalia headed to the polls on Sunday for municipal elections across the state. The poll is the first local election since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May. The vote seen as a gauge of Merz's coalition government, which is made up of his conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the center-left SPD. The performance of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) which has been classified as "right-wing extremist" by the country's domestic intelligence agency, is a key factor for assessing Germany's political climate."
"Initial projections show the center-right CDU set to win municipal elections across North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state. The far-right AfD party made major gains in the vote. The AfD has made historic gains in recent elections, becoming the second-strongest political force at the national level this year. Although its voter base is mainly from states in eastern Germany, the AfD is hoping to capitalize on the shift towards the right in western Germany."
The center-right CDU emerged as the strongest party in North Rhine-Westphalia's municipal elections with roughly 34% of the vote, roughly matching its 2020 result. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made major gains and strengthened its national position as the second-strongest political force this year. The center-left SPD and the Greens lost ground, with the SPD at about 22.5%. The vote was the first local election since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office and served as a gauge of his coalition government. Voter participation was slightly higher by midday than in 2020.
Read at www.dw.com
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