"The state was traditionally a CDU stronghold, and a poor showing would be an inauspicious start for Merz's party to a year of regional votes in which it hopes its tougher migration policy will win back AfD voters."
"Merz attended the CDU's final campaign rally and said the vote would be watched outside Germany to answer the question: 'Is the CDU still able to win elections, even when in government at such a turbulent time?'"
"The AfD has been polling at 18 percent, which would be a record score for the anti-immigration party in Baden-Wuerttemberg but still short of its national poll figures of around 25 percent, similar to those of the CDU."
Baden-Wuerttemberg's regional election represents a significant test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right CDU, which won national elections a year ago. The southwestern state, home to Germany's auto industry with 11.2 million residents, has been governed by the Greens for two consecutive elections. The CDU previously held commanding poll leads but these have narrowed to a dead heat at 28 percent. CDU candidate Manuel Hagel, a 37-year-old former banker, faces scrutiny over past sexist comments. The Greens' candidate Cem Ozdemir could become Germany's first state premier of Turkish heritage. The far-right AfD polls at 18 percent locally, below its national average of 25 percent. This election launches a crucial year of regional votes where the CDU aims to implement tougher migration policies to reclaim AfD voters.
Read at The Local Germany
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