In the local elections in Germany, Merz’s conservatives won, but the far-right received more votes.

Berlin — Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party took first place in the municipal elections in Germany’s most populous state. However, the real winner was the right-wing movement “Alternative for Germany” (AfD), which nearly tripled its results compared to five years earlier.

According to the voting results announced on Monday, Merz’s Christian Democratic Union received 33.3% of the votes in the elections held on Sunday in North Rhine-Westphalia — a region with a population of about 18 million people. The Social Democrats, who were government partners and once enjoyed support here, garnered 22.1% of the votes.

Both parties showed worse results compared to the previous elections in 2020. Meanwhile, the AfD significantly improved its position, receiving 14.5% of the votes — an increase of 9.4 percentage points. This party, known for its anti-immigration and Eurosceptic stance, has traditionally been stronger in the east of the country, but the voting results confirmed its influence in western Germany as well.

Russia and the elections

In the German parliamentary elections in February, the AfD received 20.8% of the votes, taking second place and becoming the largest opposition force, marking the best result for right-wing parties in Germany since World War II. In North Rhine-Westphalia, they received 16.8% of the votes in these elections.

Party and supporter reaction

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel noted that this is a “huge success” for the party.

The rise of the right-wing party raises concerns among German Jews, and Israel’s Foreign Ministry has refused to establish ties with it. Over the years, AfD representatives have made statements downplaying the significance of the Holocaust or criticizing its memory culture, causing widespread concern.

Problems and challenges

In 2018, one of the leading AfD politicians called the Nazi era a “stain” in Germany’s history. The party has also spoken out against the religious circumcision of boys and ritual slaughter, complicating the production of kosher and halal meat.

In May, Germany’s security agency briefly classified the AfD as a “confirmed right-wing radical movement,” but subsequently suspended this classification.

The rise of the AfD is fueled by dissatisfaction with the large influx of migrants, as well as economic stagnation and the war in Ukraine. The party’s success in February coincided with the collapse of the left-wing national government, known for its internal conflicts. Merz’s conservative government, which took office in May, is taking a tougher approach to migration and trying to boost the economy, but faces criticism for internal disagreements.

Stefan Marshall, a political science professor at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, noted that the AfD “is capable of organizing discontent against traditional mainstream parties.”

Local elections and their consequences

In the elections in the industrial Ruhr cities, AfD candidates managed to gain enough votes to advance to the second round of voting, which will take place on September 28 against candidates from the main parties. AfD competitors in Gelsenkirchen and Duisburg will represent the Social Democrats, while in Hagen — the Christian Democrats.

Merz stated on X that his CDU is the “clearly strongest force” in North Rhine-Westphalia. He noted that the party is determined to tackle problems at all levels — national, local.

Among the notable declines in attention in the elections is the loss of supporters of the “Greens,” who reduced their share to 13.5% from 20% in the elections five years ago. The party is currently in opposition at the national level but is part of the government in North Rhine-Westphalia, led by conservative governor Henrik Wüst.

Election results

Thus, the echoes of the elections may well set new trends in German political policy and demonstrate the further evolution of the country’s political landscape.