NRW election with moderately high participation: tight race expected

Created: 05/15/2022Updated: 05/15/2022 17:24

The state returning officer of North Rhine-Westphalia, Wolfgang Schellen, looks into the camera.

© -/Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia/dpa

Despite the good weather, participation in the eagerly awaited state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia was initially only moderate, according to spot checks by the state returning officer.

CDU and SPD were very close to each other in recent polls.

Düsseldorf – Shortly before the polling stations closed, there were signs of a slightly lower turnout in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

By 4 p.m. on Sunday, it was 53.35 percent on average in eight selected districts and urban districts, as state returning officer Wolfgang Schellen announced.

He rated this as “moderate voter turnout”.

In the 2017 state election, it was around 59 percent at that point.

Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The first forecast of the outcome of the election is expected immediately afterwards.

Around 13 million people are entitled to vote in the most populous federal state.

Recent opinion polls indicated a head-to-head race between the CDU of Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst and the SPD with top candidate Thomas Kutschaty.

Both politicians cast their votes in their home communities to a great deal of media attention.

Wüst came to the polling station in his hometown of Rhede with his wife Katharina and, just like when he was inaugurated a few months ago, pushed their one-year-old daughter Philippa in front of him in a blue stroller.

Wüst took over the office of prime minister in the most populous federal state from Armin Laschet at the end of October last, after he had failed in the federal elections as the Union's candidate for chancellor.

Kuschaty and his wife Christina came to the primary school in Essen-Borbeck, where he had been enrolled in 1974, to vote.

He is counting on the SPD becoming the strongest force in North Rhine-Westphalia, said the Social Democrat.

The outcome of the state elections and possible future coalitions are considered completely open.

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 NRW.

In several surveys, a tight race between the CDU and SPD has recently emerged.

With around 30 to 32 percent, the CDU was just ahead of the SPD with 28 to 29 percent.

In most surveys, the CDU has a lead of two to three percentage points over the SPD - a statement on the ranking of the two parties is not possible because of the statistical error rate.

In addition, according to polls, many voters were still undecided about whom to vote for.

The Greens are in polls at 16 to 18 percent and could achieve their best state election result with their top candidate Mona Neubaur.

The FDP with top candidate Joachim Stamp could only count on 7 to 8 percent, the AfD with 6 to 8 percent.

With around 3 percent, the left would again miss entering the state parliament.

For the federal parties and the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP ruling in the federal government, the vote in NRW is also a "small federal election" and 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.

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Election starts with high participation: tight race expected

The "small federal election" in NRW

The fact that NRW has long since ceased to be the “home state” of the SPD is shown by the fact that the CDU and SPD have alternated in government in recent years.

In 2017, the CDU and FDP formed a coalition, until 2017 a red-green alliance was at the helm.

There could be several options for the next state government in NRW.

According to surveys, in addition to a rather unpopular grand coalition of CDU and SPD, a black-green alliance or a Jamaica alliance of CDU, Greens and FDP would be possible.

The SPD could also form a traffic light coalition with the Greens and FDP, as in the federal government.

In some polls, it is not enough for a red-green majority.

Wüst would like to continue governing with the FDP, but the Liberals - like the Greens - are keeping all options open.

The head of the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia and former state justice minister Kutschaty, who is also the deputy federal chairman of the SPD, can imagine the formation of a traffic light coalition like in the federal government.

dpa