Dusseldorf In the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst’s CDU clearly became the strongest force. According to the 6 p.m. forecasts from ARD and ZDF, the Christian Democrats are well ahead of the SPD with top candidate Thomas Kutschaty.
The Greens achieve a record result, they should become a decisive factor in forming a government. The previously co-governing FDP, on the other hand, suffered heavy losses. According to forecasts, she only just manages to get over the five percent hurdle and has to tremble about being able to re-enter the state parliament.
Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and CDU top candidate Hendrik Wüst has denied the SPD a government mandate. When asked on ZDF whether he was prepared for a possible advance by the SPD, Wüst said: “You have to accept such a result with respect and decency – that applies to all parties.” had spoken “a clear word”. There is a “clear government mandate” for him and the CDU in NRW. Economics must be combined with ecological competence in order to advance the country, Wüst continued.
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According to top candidate Thomas Kuschaty, the SPD is ready for coalition talks in North Rhine-Westphalia despite its electoral defeat. “We will take our time to look at the results and stay calm,” said Kuchaty in front of his supporters on Sunday evening in Düsseldorf. “There is absolutely no reason to stick your head in the sand now,” said the SPD’s deputy federal chairman. “We will not close our minds to talks.”
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After the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, SPD general secretary Kevin Kühnert advocated exploring the chances of forming a red-green state government. “Of course, the runner-up can also negotiate a government,” he said in the evening on ARD. The previous black and yellow state government was clearly voted out.
Regarding a possible red-green coalition, Kühnert said: “It is no secret that this is a coalition that we in the SPD also like very much. And if there is an opportunity for that, then, as always in a democracy, it will be decided who can get a majority behind them in the state parliament, and negotiations should then also take place for this.”
“We are not dissatisfied with the result,” said Kühnert on ZDF about the Social Democrats’ performance. “It will be possible to bring about a change of government in NRW.”
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) contradicted Kuchaty and Kühnert. He now expects talks about a new state government between the CDU and the Greens. “First of all, the parties that won the election have to hold talks,” says the SPD politician on ARD. “I think it’s presumptuous and not appropriate that we’re speculating about where else we’ll come into play,” adds Lauterbach. “We lost this election, the Union and the Greens won, they have to conduct the talks first – everything else comes afterwards.”
CDU party leader Merz: “Our course has been confirmed”
CDU party leader Friedrich Merz sees the performance of the Christian Democrats in North Rhine-Westphalia as a success for the federal party. Top candidate Wüst and the CDU in NRW had achieved an outstanding result, Merz tweeted. “This state election was also a national political mood test. The CDU is back, our forward course has been confirmed.”
CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja sees responsibility for forming a government in North Rhine-Westphalia after his party’s strong performance in the state elections. “For us, the strongest force means taking responsibility, responsibility for North Rhine-Westphalia, being responsible for a reliable future government in North Rhine-Westphalia, for the people there,” said Czaja on Sunday evening in Berlin. “And we want to forge this reliable government there.”
Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn also sees the CDU and the Greens as clear winners in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia. The SPD, on the other hand, had a historically bad result, Spahn said on Sunday on ARD. “I think that will be the starting point for the talks in the next few days.” Anyone who makes government claims with such a result “cannot be helped,” said Spahn in the direction of the SPD.
With a view to the strong performance of his party, Spahn said: “The result is better than expected.” It was a “great result” for the previous Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst and a recognition of the government’s work in recent years.
The leading candidate of the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mona Neubaur, was enthusiastic about her party’s election results. “What a leap of faith,” she said. “It is not possible to form a government without us.” She did not specify who the Greens wanted to explore with. Climate protection will play a major role. “There will be strong green handwriting.”
Greens Federal Chairwoman Ricarda Lang wants to push through a climate-friendly and social course in the event of a government participation in NRW. With whom a government is formed in the end depends, for example, on who can pave the way to a climate-neutral and digital future, she says on ZDF. Affordable rents are also important.
FDP leader Lindner: “We have suffered a disastrous defeat”
The FDP top candidate Joachim Stamp described his party’s result in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia as a bitter defeat. “It’s absolutely clear that we can’t go back to business as usual here,” said Stamp at the FDP election party on Sunday evening in Düsseldorf. “I would have liked to have brought you and you a different result,” said the incumbent family minister and FDP country chief. Stamp emphasized that the party would not look for mistakes in others, but in itself. “We’re staying together and we’re going to be strong together, too,” Stamp said.
FDP leader Christian Lindner has described his party’s poor election result in North Rhine-Westphalia as a “disastrous defeat”. “Of course we would have wished that the Free Democrats had also benefited from this good government action in the largest federal state. That is not the case,” said Lindner on Sunday evening in Berlin. “We have, you have to say, a disastrous defeat tonight.”
The FDP has so far governed in a coalition with the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia. She suffered heavy losses in the election and, according to forecasts, will only just get over the five percent hurdle. You have to tremble for the re-entry into the state parliament.
AfD federal spokesman Tino Chrupalla is “not entirely satisfied” with the performance of his party. An “Initiative West” is now necessary, he says on ZDF. This will be discussed at the next federal party conference. The aim must be to achieve at least a double-digit result in the West.
More: CDU wins the NRW elections, SPD loses significantly – no majority for black and yellow – the live blog for the NRW state elections