AfD's rise in home state gives a headache to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Details
The municipal election in North Rhine-Westphalia shows how the AfD's influence can spread to Germany's industrial heartland.
Alternative for Germany (AfD), the German far-right party that has been backed by Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump, tripled its vote share in municipal elections in the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Interestingly, North Rhine-Westphalia is the home state of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose Christian Democrats maintained their position as the strongest force in the election. However, the rise of the AfD does put the leader under pressure to revive growth and push through reforms.
In the country's most populous state, AfD, which has a strong anti-immigration platform, increased its share of the vote by 10.2 per cent, from 5.1 per cent to 15.3 per cent. The party was also vying for the lead in the mayor's race in the industrial city of Gelsenkirchen, according to preliminary results compiled by Infratest dimap for public broadcaster WDR on Sunday.
Merz's CDU gained 0.3 points to 34.6 per cent. The co-ruling Social Democrats, which once considered the industry-heavy state as a stronghold, declined 2.3 points to 22 per cent
Merz, who hails from North Rhine-Westphalia, has promised a "fall of reforms" after bickering over policy and personnel in recent months. The coalition's agenda includes divisive welfare changes and implementing a €500 billion ($590 billion) infrastructure fund to bolster the sputtering economy.
The rise of AfD in municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia
The municipal election in North Rhine-Westphalia shows how the AfD's influence can spread to Germany's industrial heartland, where fears about job security are mounting. The result builds on the party's position in the former communist east, where it's roughly twice as popular.
"We've cemented our support," said Enxhi Seli-Zacharias, an AfD state legislator.
North Rhine-Westphalia has 18 million inhabitants — comparable to the Netherlands — and is home to major industrial cities such as Duisburg, Dortmund, and Essen. Germany's Rust Belt has been destabilised by technological changes, the closure of local coal mines, and mounting competition from China.
Tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, whose administration has voiced support for the AfD, have added to the headwinds facing Europe's largest economy.
"This result must give us pause for thought and cannot allow us to rest easy," said Hendrik Wuest, North Rhine-Westphalia's Christian Democratic premier.
