German local polls boost Merz's coalition, AfD gains a concern

Jens Spahn, parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right alliance, said the local election results in Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, strengthen both the state party and Merz's federal-level coalition.

The vote, the last major election in Germany this year, was widely seen as the first test of public opinion since February’s early federal elections that brought Merz’s conservative-led government to power.

Initial projections on Sunday evening after polls closed showed the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leading, with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) in second, and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) coming in third, making significant gains.

"The strong result in North Rhine-Westphalia is the reward for good work on the ground. But there is also a tailwind for the coalition in Berlin," Spahn told dpa.

State Premier Hendrik Wüst, also of the CDU, voiced concern due to the AfD's surge, with the far-right party more than tripling its share of the vote compared to five years ago.

"This result must give us pause for thought and cannot allow us to rest easy – not even my party, which won this election so clearly," Wüst told public broadcaster ARD.

He warned that the AfD's dramatic gains pose challenges for all democratic parties, pointing to issues such as poverty-driven migration, fairness in the social system and neglected housing.