Rhineland: Cdu wins after 35 years, third Afd in strong rise
Going head-to-head are the Cdu of Friedrich Merz and the Spd of his deputy Lars Klingbeil, the two parties that at federal level lead the government by holding a complex alliance
The Christian Democratic Union (CHU) of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in the lead in the regional elections in Rhineland-Palatinate, according to preliminary results, gaining a politically significant victory. The conservatives would be on 30.9 per cent of the vote, overtaking the social democrats of the SPD, stationary at 25.8 per cent and down sharply from the previous round. The result would allow the Cdu to return to the leadership of the Land after 35 years. On the other hand, the Spd, the government partner in Berlin, has suffered a new setback that risks accentuating the internal crisis and creating tensions in the executive led by Merz.
Gaining the most support, however, is the far-right Alternative für Deutschland, which doubled its vote to around 19.8%, the party's best result ever in a western state. The vote in Rhineland-Palatinate is the second in a series of regional elections planned for this year, considered an important test for the national political balance ahead of the next electoral challenges.
Among the most conspicuous themes that have emerged in recent months are violence in schools, following the case of a mentally ill student who threatened a teacher with a knife, and the weakness of local healthcare, in light of the closure of eight hospitals due to a shortage of doctors.
"After more than 35 years, the Cdu is again the strongest party in Rhineland-Palatinate. Congratulations to Gordon Schnieder and the entire team for this fantastic result!" This was written on X by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, after the victory of the Cdu in the regional elections, which allowed it to conquer the Social Democratic stronghold and thus return to the leadership of Helmut Kohl's Rhineland-Palatinate.
Schnieder exults: 'The Cdu is back in Helmut Kohl's Land'
"The Cdu is back in Helmut Kohl's Land". This was said by the CDU candidate Gordon Schnieder, exulting over the results of the first projections of the vote in Rhineland-Palatinate, which give the conservatives a clear lead of around 30 per cent over the Social Democrats, in power for 35 years in the western region. "Without us, there will be no more governing here," he added.
