Wüst creates first place in NRW - SPD does not give up
Created: 05/15/2022Updated: 05/15/2022 21:22
The previous Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and CDU top candidate for the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, is on stage at his party's election party.
©Oliver Berg/dpa
Unlimited jubilation at Wüst's CDU in NRW - she clearly won the election.
The SPD cannot yet come to terms with the defeat: party leader Kuchaty is clutching at straws.
Dusseldorf - unrestrained jubilation among the Christian Democrats in North Rhine-Westphalia - disappointment in the SPD.
Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), who has been in office for barely seven months, managed to get the most votes for the CDU in the state elections in the most populous federal state - and to distance the SPD much more clearly than the polls previously suggested.
Whether the CDU can actually manage to hold the rudder in NRW for more than one electoral term for the first time since the 1960s depends above all on whether the SPD under Thomas Kutschaty still try despite their historically worst state election results in NRW wants to forge a coalition itself.
In any case, SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert campaigned for it.
Wüst: "Election clearly won"
Wüst, on the other hand, doesn't want to leave any doubt in front of his celebrating supporters in the Düsseldorf party headquarters: "The CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia clearly won this election," he calls out to the jam-packed hall.
After all, she got the most votes.
"That is the mandate to form and lead a future government."
On the other hand, 53-year-old Kuchaty from Essen is visibly pale and disappointed on the stage of the Düsseldorf Rheinterrasse.
The big hall is half empty, but the approximately 200 supporters don't let their top candidate fall in the difficult hour.
"Thomas, Thomas, Thomas" they shout in staccato and applaud vigorously.
Because Kuschaty, who fought his way up from a humble background in a family of railway workers, has a motto: never give up.
SPD leadership still has hope
In the evening, Kuschaty and the SPD leadership are clinging to the lifeline of perhaps being able to form a red-green alliance after all.
"Even if the CDU is ahead of us: the social democracy in North Rhine-Westphalia is also ready for a state government here," he emphasizes.
"There is absolutely no reason to bury your head in the sand now."
In the CDU state office, too, the supporters of the party call out euphorically for their top man: "Hendrik!
Hendrik!” There was no stopping the around 400 guests in the courtyard of the state office, given the significantly rosier numbers than expected.
In bright sunshine, the 600 liters of beer, two quintals of currywurst and platters of Mett rolls ordered for a winner's party sell like hot cakes.
During the election campaign, Wüst - the son of a butcher - had announced that he could not get past any sausage stand.
In contrast to a week earlier in Schleswig-Holstein, it was by no means certain that the CDU would emerge victorious from the election.
The only recently unveiled "Mallorca affair" about holidays and parties for the Environment Minister, who resigned as a result, during the flood of the century made the election for the CDU a nail-biter.
Black and yellow no longer has a majority
But on Sunday, the projections for Wüst showed more than 35 percent.
However, the black-yellow coalition that has been in power for five years no longer has a majority.
The most exciting question at the CDU election party was therefore: Does Wüst dare the first black-green coalition in NRW?
Top candidate Mona Neubaur, who has achieved a record result that has catapulted the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia into the role of kingmaker, is initially covered on election Sunday.
"We advise in our party committees and make proposals to a small party conference," she replies sparingly to questions about her coalition preferences.
In any case, the Greens have started to make "politics up to date" that "does not go over the heads of the people".
The price for a black-green alliance is likely to be high for the CDU.
After all, there are many differences between the two parties, including energy, transport and school policy goals.
The green base in NRW is considered to be decidedly left-wing.
Lindner: "Disastrous defeat"
Wüst's previous coalition partner, the FDP, openly admits a bitter defeat in view of the heavy losses.
Federal party leader Christian Lindner even speaks of a "disastrous defeat".
Vice Prime Minister and FDP top candidate Joachim Stamp emphasized: "It is perfectly clear that we cannot go back to business as usual here." Whether the state party leader is considering resigning remains open for the time being.
The popular Minister of the Interior, Herbert Reul (CDU), did not yet want to predict how things will continue for the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia.
"This is not a bazaar event," he says of coalition speculation.
Wüst will talk to all democratic parties.
Not with the AfD, which according to the first figures will remain in the Düsseldorf state parliament.
more on the subject
Election campaign finals in NRW - parties fight for every vote
Coalition in NRW after the election: Wüst wins, but his government is voted out
CDU and Green winners in NRW - defeat for the FDP
On Sunday, Wüst didn't want to brood over all the open questions and first demonstrated strength: "Team Wüst - you're awesome!" dpa