Germany news: Merz's CDU, Greens in tight race in state poll

"The CDU's candidate Manuel Hagel had gained a significant lead, but his advantage shrunk after a video surfaced that showed him making controversial comments about schoolgirls in 2018. Baden-Wurttemberg is a CDU stronghold, but it's been led by the Greens since 2011 under moderate outgoing Premier Winfried Kretschmann."

"A survey on Thursday put the CDU and Greens level on 28%. The far-right Alternative for Germany is expected to double its 9% share of the vote from the last Baden-Wurttemberg polls in 2021."

Baden-Württemberg held regional elections with 7.7 million eligible voters deciding between Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU and the environmentalist Green Party. The CDU, led by candidate Manuel Hagel, faced a tightening race after controversial comments surfaced about him. The Greens, who have governed the state since 2011 under Winfried Kretschmann, are unlikely to retain power following poor national election performance. However, Green candidate Cem Ozdemir gained ground recently, with Thursday polls showing both parties tied at 28%. The far-right Alternative for Germany was expected to double its 2021 vote share to approximately 18%. Baden-Württemberg, Germany's third-largest state, is an economic hub housing major automakers Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Read at www.dw.com