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CDU clearly leads in local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia - AfD on the rise!
Chancellor Merz visits Gelsenkirchen before the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2025, while the CDU and SPD position themselves against the AfD.
CDU clearly leads in local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia - AfD on the rise!
Local elections took place in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on September 14, 2025, in which citizens voted on a variety of offices, including mayor and members of the city and municipal councils. Voter turnout was an outstanding 58.5 percent, which was the highest since 1994. Around 13.7 million eligible voters, both German citizens and EU citizens, were able to cast their votes. Despite some technical problems in displaying the results, the counting took place without any significant complications, the media reports.
The first forecasts of the election results followed shortly after the polls closed at 6 p.m. The CDU was able to take a clear lead with 33.3 percent, even if this represents a decrease of one percent compared to the last election. Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst described the result as “great” and emphasized the CDU’s position as the “number one local party”. In contrast, the SPD only achieved 22.1 percent and thus suffered a historic decline, which made the distribution of votes not exactly conducive to their mood.
Runoff elections and the result of the AfD
A notable aspect of the election is the runoff elections that will take place on September 28th, as an absolute majority was not achieved in some cities and municipalities. Runoff elections are necessary in Gelsenkirchen, Duisburg and Hagen, and in Cologne the votes between Aymaz from the Greens and Burmester from the SPD must also be counted again. In Bonn, Mayor Dörner is facing a runoff election against the CDU candidate Déus.
The AfD also attracted attention this election by putting candidates in runoffs in several major cities. Party leader Chrupalla celebrated his party's performance with 14.5 percent as a success. Nevertheless, the AfD falls short of expectations as it was unable to win first place in any constituency.
The reactions of the parties
The result has already been analyzed in detail in central political circles. Chancellor Merz previously traveled to Düsseldorf to visit Mayor Keller and set the course for the upcoming state elections in 2024. The CDU and SPD have also announced that they want to provide mutual support in the runoff elections in order to prevent AfD candidates. This is a strategic decision that is being discussed in several cities.
In addition to the disappointment with their results in Cologne, the Greens also had to react to their generally low approval ratings: compared to the previous elections, they recorded a decline to 13.5 percent. Spahn from the CDU said that the election result could provide tailwind for the economy, while Wüst warned that the AfD's performance gave cause for thought.
The preliminary results show a clear picture of the political mood in North Rhine-Westphalia. While the CDU continues to lead the majority, it is time for the SPD and also the Greens to think about the causes of their declines and how they can regain trust in the future. The local elections affect around 20,000 mandates in 396 cities and municipalities.
The reporting on this groundbreaking event is extensively supported by various media, such as WDR, and offers voters the information they need about what is happening in their cities.