Far-right surges in western German vote

Alternative for Germany (AfD) has tripled its support in local elections in the country’s most populous state, a poll seen as the first electoral test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government


NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA
Friedrich Merz’s centre-right CDU remains strongest party in municipal elections, but AfD, co-led by Alice Weidel (above), secures 14.5% of votes, up from 5% in 2020


SWEDEN
POLAND
DENMARK
BELG.
FRANCE
SWITZ
AUSTRIA
CZECHIA
LUX.
NETH.
GERMANY
Berlin
North Rhine-Westphalia
60 miles
100km


LOCAL ELECTION RESULT
State-wide vote share
Change in percentage points

Greens

33.3%
22.1
14.5
13.5
5.6
-1.0
-2.2
9.4
-6.5
1.8

CDU
Christian Democrats
SPD
Social Democrats
AfD
Alternative for Germany
Left

Germany’s ruling coalition CDU/SPD

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, WDR
Pictures: Getty Images
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