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.
SPD top candidate Thomas Kutschaty has admitted defeat in the North Rhine-Westphalia elections. “Unfortunately, the result of this state election is not what we had imagined,” he says. “Our result is below our expectations, we wanted to be the strongest party.” However, the number one election goal was achieved, namely the vote out of the black-yellow government.
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.
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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 his Secretary General. 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.”
“Clear government mandate for the CDU”
Deputy CDU federal chairwoman Karin Prien also sees a clear government mandate for Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst in her party’s performance. “This clearly goes hand in hand with a government mandate for the CDU,” she says on ZDF. “We are out of the valley of tears together.” A “alliance for the future” is now necessary in North Rhine-Westphalia, which should be negotiated with the Greens.
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.”
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 Vice Vogel: “It’s a heavy defeat”
FDP federal vice president Johannes Vogel has expressed his disappointment with the result of his party in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia. “It’s a heavy defeat and it hurts,” Vogel said on Sunday on ARD. “You just have to acknowledge that this is not a good evening for us.”
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.
Johannes Vogel did not want to assign blame – for example in the direction of top candidate Joachim Stamp. “You win as a team and you also lose as a team,” said the FDP politician. We will take our time internally to see what we can do differently next time.
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