The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has achieved a notable third-place finish in the recent regional elections of North Rhine-Westphalia, a key stronghold for Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This result marks nearly a tripling of their previous vote share from 2020 and has sparked significant political debate.
The right-wing AfD party gained significant ground in North Rhine-Westphalia, where Merz is from, in Sunday’s regional elections. The party’s lead candidate, Martin Vincentz, declared the region as their “people’s party” and cited a growing desire for “real political change” in Germany’s most populous area as the reason for their success. The AfD’s vote share increased from 5.1% in 2020 to 14.5% in the latest election.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD), which came in second place with 22.1% of the vote, experienced a decline of over two percentage points compared to the 2020 elections, and their chairman, Achim Post, admitted it was a “bad result.” The CDU, represented by Minister-President Hendrik Wust, emerged as the leading party with 33.3% of the vote. Wust noted that the outcome “cannot let us sleep soundly,” highlighting the importance of the region in the broader political landscape.
Earlier this month, a RTL/ntv Trendbarometer poll indicated that the AfD had overtaken Merz’s CDU as the most popular party, with 26% of respondents supporting the AfD. This trend has raised concerns among opposition leaders, including Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, who called for a “party ban,” and the domestic intelligence agency, which temporarily suspended its designation of the AfD as a “confirmed right-wing extremist entity.”
The AfD, founded in 2013, has been critical of Germany’s open-door migration policies and Berlin’s approach to the Ukraine conflict, particularly its refusal to engage with Russia. The party’s recent performance in the regional elections has further intensified discussions about its role in German politics. With 152 seats in the Bundestag, the AfD remains a significant force in the country’s parliamentary landscape, continuing to challenge the mainstream parties on key issues of national importance.