Coalition building after the state elections in NRW: what is possible now?

Created: 05/15/2022, 20:29

By: Vincent Bussow

After the state elections, a change of government is imminent in NRW.

Coalitions are already being advertised in some places.

In the end it probably depends on the Greens.

Düsseldorf – The polling stations in the most populous federal state have been closed since 6 p.m.

While the results of the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia are already becoming apparent based on the first projections, much more is still unclear.

What is certain is that there will be a change in the government of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Some of the potential coalition partners are already announcing their preferences.

What is possible?

According to the preliminary results, the CDU emerged as the winner of the state elections.

With around 35 percent, the Christian Democrats could slightly improve their share of the vote from 2017.

The SPD, on the other hand, is losing voters and is only expected to get around 28 percent.

The Greens received the largest increase in votes and came to around 18 percent in the projections.

The AfD (about 6 percent) and the FDP (about 5 percent) are losing votes.

Coalition building after the NRW elections: The Greens as kingmakers

If this result proves true, the current government in North Rhine-Westphalia, made up of the CDU and FDP, will no longer achieve a majority.

A grand coalition of Christian and Social Democrats is also unlikely.

Although this would get enough votes, the interest is low on both sides.

In fact, the Greens seem to be becoming the kingmaker of this state election, and the party's favor is already being courted.

According to the projections, CDU top candidate Hendrik Wüst will emerge as the winner of the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The SDP and the Greens also want to have a say in forming a government.

© Boris Roessler/dpa

The SPD's top candidate in North Rhine-Westphalia, Thomas Kutschaty, announced that he was willing to talk about forming a coalition despite the election defeat.

SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert went even further and indirectly advocated a red-green coalition in North Rhine-Westphalia.

"Black and yellow has been deselected," he said on Sunday on ZDF, with the SPD having a "certain probability" of leading the new government.

According to the current projections, the SPD and the Greens alone would not have a majority.

If the FDP makes it over the five percent hurdle, a traffic light coalition would probably be possible.

NRW after the state elections: Greens keep coalitions open

Even with the CDU there are already overtures to the Greens.

Although none of those responsible explicitly expressed a wish for a coalition, General Secretary Mario Czaja congratulated the Greens on their strong performance in North Rhine-Westphalia.

They were "without a doubt" also among the winners of the election evening.

In addition, the current Prime Minister and CDU top candidate Hendrik Wüst warned the SPD to accept the result "with respect and decency" and to recognize his party's mandate to govern.

The Greens themselves do not want to commit themselves to possible partners.

Party leader Ricarda Lang, on the other hand, set substantive conditions for future government participation in North Rhine-Westphalia.

A government with the Greens would have to “walk the path to a climate-neutral and digital future together, create more social justice and strengthen cohesion in NRW,” said Lang.

In any case, state politics in the West is facing an exciting time.

(vbu with dpa/AFP)