The state elections began in North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday, and the polling stations have been open since 8 a.m. Around 13 million people are entitled to vote in Germany’s most populous federal state. Recent opinion polls indicated a head-to-head race between the CDU with Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst and the SPD with top candidate Thomas Kutschaty. In polls, the black-yellow coalition that has been in office for five years no longer has a majority.
Until 2017, a red-green coalition was in power in North Rhine-Westphalia. The outcome of the state elections and possible future coalitions are considered completely open. The first forecast of the outcome of the election is expected shortly after the polling stations close at 6 p.m.
For the federal parties in Germany and the governing traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, also known as the “small federal election”, is an important test of mood. Last Sunday, the CDU with Prime Minister Daniel Günther clearly won the election in Schleswig-Holstein. Previously, the SPD with Anke Rehlinger had won the state election in Saarland.
CDU top candidate Wüst replaced Armin Laschet as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia just over six months ago after he failed as Union Chancellor candidate in the federal elections.
Source: Nachrichten
