NRW election: the regulatory office has to move in at the wild party - Merz on the election victory: "CDU back in first place"

Created: 05/17/2022, 14:04

By: Stephanie Munk, Andreas Schmid, Anna-Katharina Ahnefeld

The CDU celebrates a clear victory in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Greens are also cheering.

Is black and green coming now?

The NRW election in the live ticker. 

• State elections in NRW 2022: According to the preliminary final result, the CDU is the clear winner, the SPD is slipping, the Greens are historic.

• The role of the "kingmaker" falls to the Greens around top candidate Mona Neubaur.

  Is there now a black-green coalition?

• Apparently, the electoral party of the CDU celebrated properly.

  The public order office had to move in because the music was too loud.

• This

  news ticker for the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia

  on Sunday, May 15, and subsequent developments, is constantly updated.

Update from May 16, 9:07 p.m

.: One day after winning the state election, the CDU state executive in North Rhine-Westphalia gives a positive signal for exploratory talks with the SPD, Greens and FDP.

"The invitations will go out today," said CDU state party leader and Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) on Monday evening after the meeting in Neuss.

Wüst did not disclose the order in which the talks will take place.

There will be talks about the further procedure with everyone who responded to the invitation.

Climate protection and industrial jobs must be brought together.

Other important topics are social security, the best education, internal security and modern mobility.

There had previously been some ambiguity about a possible coalition with the FDP: FDP head of state Joachim Stamp had not expected coalition talks with the Liberals.

"There is definitely black and green, that's completely clear," he said before a parliamentary group meeting in the Düsseldorf state parliament.

But Wüst said he would of course also invite the FDP.

"We have governed well and trustingly for five years," he emphasized.

NRW election: Merz sees victory, especially in the case of libertine and CDU courses, confirmed

Update from May 16, 12:45 p.m .:

CDU party leader Friedrich Merz was convinced at the press conference that the election victory in NRW was mainly due to Hendrik Wüst.

They have won twice in a row in a "remarkable way", according to Merz, with reference to the last state election in Schleswig-Holstein.

He saw this as confirmation of the party's course.

"The CDU can win elections," Merz continued.

"Since yesterday, the CDU has been back in first place among the German parties," said Merz.

Both Merz and shortly afterwards Hendrik Wüst emphasized the large difference in the result of the NRW election between the CDU and SPD.

The incumbent Prime Minister announced a "stable government".

The biggest challenge is "the reconciliation of climate protection and industrialized countries," he repeated yesterday's comment.

This must also be shown in North Rhine-Westphalia in particular.

NRW election: the regulatory office has to move in at the wild party – because the music was so loud that the electricity went out

Update from May 16, 11:50 a.m .:

The CDU election party at the Düsseldorf party headquarters received a visit from the regulatory office on Sunday evening – because the celebration was too loud.

A city spokesman for the German Press Agency confirmed on Monday that "due to complaints from residents about noise pollution", the public order office's forces were deployed to the election party around 10:30 p.m.

“It was determined on site that the music was actually far too loud.

Those responsible were instructed and asked to turn off the music," said the spokesman.

According to a spokeswoman, the police had also received a complaint about the volume.

They were passed on to the responsible regulatory office.

After the surprisingly high forecast for the CDU at 6 p.m., the mood among the 400 guests of the CDU was already boisterous.

When Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) came to the party tent at the party headquarters at around 10:15 p.m., he was celebrated with “Schalalala” chants.

According to WDR, the music was sometimes turned up so loud that the power went out.

A little later the clerk came.

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 and right thumbs up.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the elections for the 18th state parliament took place on Sunday.

© Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa

NRW election: SPD sees a clear government mandate for the CDU and Hendrik Wüst

Update from May 16, 11:30 a.m .:

The SPD press conference after the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia continues directly.

SPD federal chairman Lars Klingbeil stated: "We clearly lost the race for first place".

The next step is to form a government.

The SPD is ready to face up to its responsibilities.

However, one thing is clear: “Mr. Wüst is the first to hold talks”.

The low turnout in the North Rhine-Westphalia election is frightening.

Above all, the topic of inflation and rising prices have been on people's minds - these have not been sufficiently discussed.

In the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, voter turnout fell to a historic low of 55.5 percent.

NRW election: FDP on "dramatic slump" - you have lost especially older voters

Update from May 16, 11.15:

"We also stand together when there are sad occasions," Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) began the press conference of the Free Democrats after the NRW election.

Shortly thereafter, NRW top candidate Joachim Stamp also spoke of a "bitter evening" for the FDP - in the coming months there would be a process of reappraisal.

It is clearly recognizable that NRW will get a black-green coalition, said the FDP man.

The CDU and the Greens both emerged as winners from the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The FDP also sees federal political reasons for its heavy losses in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The great dissatisfaction with the energy price flat rate contributed to the "dramatic slump" among the over 60-year-olds, said Federal Chairman Christian Lindner on Monday in Berlin.

In the street election campaign, the question always came up as to why the one-off fee of 300 euros wasn't also available for pensioners.

"Although it wasn't our own model at all, nor our project, it was also associated with the FDP in a special way."

The communication of this question of justice in the overall package of relief was not successful, said Lindner.

"We must also draw our conclusions from this for future political projects of the coalition in Berlin." The FDP leader emphasized that the traffic light coalition was never the "political dream" of the FDP.

"We govern in the traffic light out of state political responsibility because the CDU and CSU were unwilling and unable to form a government after the federal election." Nothing has changed.

In addition, war is now raging in Europe and the economy is in a risky situation.

NRW election: Althusmann sees CDU success as a sign of state elections in Lower Saxony

Update from May 16, 10:40 a.m .:

Lower Saxony’s CDU leader Bernd Althusmann sees support for the state elections in Lower Saxony on October 9 in the electoral success of NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU).

"I am firmly convinced that the CDU in Lower Saxony has the potential to bring about a change in leadership there as well.

In this respect, it's a great boost," he said on Monday when he arrived at the deliberations of the CDU federal leadership in Berlin.

"The CDU is back," said Althusmann, emphasizing: "It was a small federal election.

That was a clear defeat for the traffic lights, a clear defeat for the chancellor (Olaf Scholz, SPD) and his politics."

State elections in NRW: Greens name condition for coalition building

Update from May 16, 9.50 a.m .:

After the success of the Greens in the North Rhine-Westphalian state elections, the Greens parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Katharina Dröge, showed no preference for a specific coalition.

The Greens would now “talk to all democratic parties,” said Dröge on Deutschlandfunk on Monday.

Topics such as climate protection and the turnaround in traffic are decisive.

To the address of the CDU Prime Minister, she added: "Hendrik Wüst must definitely say goodbye to a policy that is based on slowing down the energy transition."

Dröge said of the speculation about the future coalition in Düsseldorf: "We govern at state level in very different constellations.

And in the end it really depends on what you get out of the negotiations.” According to the provisional official final result, the CDU clearly won the state elections on Sunday with 35.7 percent ahead of the SPD.

The Greens came third with 18.2 percent.

Both a black-green alliance and a traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP would be possible.

NRW election: black-green coalition is getting closer

Update from May 16, 9:20 a.m.:

CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja expects a black-green coalition after the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The CDU and the Greens emerged from the election as clear winners, said Czaja on Monday in the ZDF "Morgenmagazin".

“And the formation of a coalition will now also go in this direction.” It is now important to reconcile the economy and progress with the issue of climate and ecology.

“That is the task of this government, in such difficult times.

In an industrialized country like North Rhine-Westphalia, this can work well under the leadership of Hendrik Wüst.”

FDP top candidate Joachim Stamp also firmly believes in a coalition between the CDU and the Greens.

When asked about the chances of a coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, Stamp said on Monday morning on WDR 5: "The question doesn't arise, it's going to be black and green now." ' said the Liberal.

It would never do any good to rule out cooperation in principle.

A traffic light is not up for debate, “because there will be black and green anyway”.

NRW election: SPD Saarland Prime Minister expects little impact on federal politics

Update from May 16, 8.50 a.m .:

The SPD Prime Minister of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger, does not expect any major changes in the SPD course in the federal government after the historically poor election result of her party in NRW.

"I believe that the effects on federal politics will be limited, at least on the SPD side," Rehlinger said on Deutschlandfunk on Monday.

Regarding the role of the Federal Chancellor, she said: "Olaf Scholz helped on site as a campaigner, but he also helped by standing for reliable government policy." Rehlinger said: "At the end of the day, North Rhine-Westphalia is above all been decided on state politics.”

The top candidates of the parties in NRW, Mona Neubaur (2l, Bündis 90/Die Grünen), Hendrik Wüst (2r, CDU), Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, answer questions from the moderators Gabi Ludwig (r, WDR editor-in-chief) and Jochen Trum ( l, head of the state political editorial team) on the evening of the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

© Fabian Strauch/dpa

NRW election 2022: Traffic light sees no burden for the coalition in Berlin

Update from May 16, 7.30 a.m .:

Top representatives of the traffic light parties see the election in North Rhine-Westphalia as no burden for the coalition in Berlin.

The election campaign had already shown that, against the background of the Ukraine war, the ability to act was “much more important” for the traffic light partners than competition with one another,” said Green Party chairwoman Ricarda Lang on Sunday evening on the ARD program “ Anne Will".

"And I am convinced that it will remain so in the coming weeks."

FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr made a similar statement.

There is a "team spirit" in the coalition, he said on "Anne Will".

Despite all the differences at the federal level, for example in tax policy, the election campaign in North Rhine-Westphalia was not carried into the government in Berlin.

"That will not be the case in the future either."

NRW election: Ricarda Lang leaves the coalition question open – Klingweil rejects the accusation of malice

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil rejected the fact that the Social Democrats had therefore showered malice on the FDP.

It is correct that by escalating to the duel between CDU Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst and the SPD's top candidate Thomas Kutschaty, many who would have actually voted for the FDP ultimately voted for the CDU.

But this only describes the migration of voters.

Malice in the traffic light is "completely non-existent".

Dürr emphasized that he didn't feel that way either.

However, Lang left open whether she preferred an option with the SPD against the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Which alliance would be better for the traffic light coalition in the federal government is "not the decisive question," said the Green Party leader.

It is about which partner of the Greens is willing to go along with the issues of climate neutrality, social justice and cohesion.

NRW election: Ex-Federal Chairman Walter-Borjans warns SPD against "blow on cheeks"

Update from May 16, 7 a.m.:

Former SPD federal chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans does not see the SPD in a position to make demands after its election defeat in North Rhine-Westphalia.

"On an evening like this, when you've missed your own goals by a long way, it's not a moment where you blow your cheeks and make demands," said Walter-Borjans of the German Press Agency in Düsseldorf.

The evening of the election made it clear: "The SPD has to wait for talks, be ready for talks and hold talks."

He is still convinced that the SPD and the Greens have the greatest overlap, said Walter-Borjans, who was state finance minister in the red-green government until 2017.

But it depends on the Greens what options they see.

But it is clear that the CDU, as the winner of the election, and the Greens would now talk to each other.

"It's anything but a moment of challenge now," said Walter-Borjans.

"Anyone who would start now to make great success out of an unachieved goal would be doing something wrong." Despite the SPD's historically poor result in the state elections of around 26.6 percent, top candidate Thomas Kutschaty had declared his willingness to hold coalition talks.

NRW election: Greens fall to "kingmaker" role - Lindner speaks of "disastrous defeat"

Update from May 16, 5.30 a.m .:

Coalition building after the NRW election 2022: In addition to a grand coalition of CDU and SPD that is considered unlikely, an alliance of CDU and Greens or a traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP would be possible.

Voter turnout fell to an all-time low.

Compared to the state election in 2017, it fell by 9.6 percentage points to 55.5 percent nationwide.

The previous negative record in the history of North Rhine-Westphalia was 56.7 percent in 2000.

On election night, both Wüst and the defeated Kuchaty announced talks with all democratic parties about a future government and courted the Greens.

After the election, the strengthened party assumes the role of kingmaker.

Lead candidate Neubaur stated that "there is no way around us"

NRW election: Greens fall to "kingmaker" role - Lindner speaks of "disastrous defeat"

"The voters produced two winners today - us and the Greens," said Wüst.

Although he did not want to commit himself to a coalition preference, he emphasized that the "reconciliation of climate protection and industrialized countries" would be the "central task" of a future state government.

Kuchaty said he could imagine a traffic light coalition in the most populous federal state.

According to surveys, such an alliance is a "more popular model" than black-green.

He wanted to "see who can get the relevant majorities together," said Kuchaty.

"The CDU is back," said CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert, on the other hand, did not want to see any federal political signal or criticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

FDP leader Christian Lindner admitted a "disastrous defeat".

Left leader Janine Wissler spoke of a “bitter result”.

Update from May 16, 5 a.m.:

The CDU won the state election in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the Greens have also increased significantly.

According to the preliminary official result, which the state returning officer published early Monday morning, Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst's CDU was the strongest party with 35.7 percent of the second votes.

The SPD, with its top candidate Thomas Kutschaty, fell to 26.7 percent.

The Greens tripled their result to 18.2 percent.

The previous coalition partner FDP, however, fell to 5.9 percent.

The AfD can just stay in the state parliament with 5.4 percent.

The left failed again with 2.1 percent at the five percent hurdle.

Voter turnout was 55.5 percent.

NRW election 2022: Wust about possible coalition - "Reconciliation of climate protection and industrialized country"

Update from May 15, 11:15 p.m .:

After his CDU’s election victory, NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst reaffirmed that he wanted to talk “with all democratic forces” about forming a coalition.

It's about nothing less than the "reconciliation of climate protection and industrialized countries," said the CDU politician on Sunday evening in ZDF's "Heute Journal".

A pointer in the direction of green?

The CDU politician did not want to commit himself.

Meanwhile, the SPD is also involved, which, according to current figures, ended up a whopping nine percentage points behind the CDU in the NRW election.

"Of course we are there," said SPD top candidate Thomas Kutschaty.

"We also want to hold talks." The SPD only has a chance in North Rhine-Westphalia in a traffic light coalition (SPD, Greens, FDP).

That currently seems the more unlikely scenario.

A black-green alliance seems more realistic, theoretically a Jamaica coalition with the FDP.

NRW election 2022: Kuschaty on coalition talks - "I'm ready"

Update from May 15, 10:30 p.m .:

 Despite the SPD’s historically poor result in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, top candidate Thomas Kutschaty is ready for coalition talks.

"I'm ready," confirmed Kuchaty on Sunday evening at the SPD election party in Düsseldorf.

The victory of the CDU and the strong result of the Greens "does not automatically mean that a government will be formed between the two," said the North Rhine-Westphalia SPD leader.

"That's why we'll be having talks again in the next few days." "Other options are definitely conceivable."

The SPD is dependent on the Greens.

Initially, they did not want to deal with coalition issues.

Lead candidate Mona Neubaur promised a future government "with a strong green handwriting".

Born in Pöttmes, Bavaria, she made it clear: “There is no way around us Greens.” The eco-party achieved historically good results in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In the extrapolations, it reached around 18 percent.

NRW election: FDP probably "saved" according to new projection - Kühnert's desired coalition is gone

Update from May 15, 10 p.m

.: New projections for the NRW election will probably make the last doubts about the FDP’s entry into the state parliament disappear.

According to ARD figures, the liberals are now ahead of the AfD with 5.7 percent.

This is particularly exciting with a view to the coalitions.

Because with the entry of the FDP into the state parliament, a coalition of SPD and Greens would no longer be possible.

Leading Social Democrats such as party leader Lars Klingbeil and Secretary General Kevin Kühnert had publicly raved about this alliance. 

"It's no secret that this is a coalition that we in the SPD like very much," said Kühnert.

The runner-up could also “of course” lead the government.

If the SPD now wants to appoint the prime minister despite the election defeat, they now need the FDP.

A traffic light coalition (SPD, Greens, FDP) would be possible, as is currently the case in the federal government.

Update from May 15, 9:45 p.m

.: In the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, a possibly historically low turnout is emerging.

ARD and ZDF saw the turnout after the polling stations closed on Sunday evening at 56 percent.

That could change in the course of the election night.

However, if it stayed at this value, it would be even less than the historic low of 56.7 in a NRW state election in 2000. In the 2017 state election, voter turnout was 65.2 percent.

NRW election: Wüst and Kuchaty win constituencies - Green candidate second

Update from May 15, 9:30 p.m .:

SPD top candidate Thomas Kutschaty can at least be happy about his individual result after the disappointing performance in the NRW election.

In the Essen I constituency, the former justice minister received around 49 percent of the first votes.

The Greens' top candidate Mona Neubaur, on the other hand, missed the direct mandate.

In her Düsseldorf I constituency, after almost all district results were counted on Sunday evening, Neubaur was only in second place with around 27 percent of the first votes.

The direct mandate was taken by the CDU member of parliament Olaf Lehne.

CDU man Wüst clearly triumphed in his Borken constituency with around 61 percent.

NRW election 2022: CDU clear election winner - Laschet congratulates with beer

Update from May 15, 9 p.m

.: New projections for the state election in North Rhine-Westphalia have just been published.

The CDU seems to be quite successful in improving their results in the 2017 North Rhine-Westphalia elections.

At that time, the Christian Democrats under Armin Laschet got 33.0 percent.

Now they range stably between 35 and 36 percent.

Incidentally, Laschet is also a guest at the CDU election party.

In the evening he toasted the election victory with his successor Hendrik Wüst with a Kölsch beer.

Update from May 15, 8:30 p.m .:

The CDU is the clear winner in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Wüst therefore sees the task of forming a new government in the most populous federal state in the republic as lying with himself and the NRW-CDU.

"People have made it clear who they want to see leading a future government in North Rhine-Westphalia and this word was very clear: they want a government led by me, a government led by the CDU."

NRW election: The last coalitions in North Rhine-Westphalia

• since 2017:

  CDU and FDP

  under Prime Ministers Armin Laschet and Hendrik Wüst (both CDU)

• 2010 to 2017:

  SPD and Greens

  under Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft (SPD)

  
  
  

  2005 to 2010:

  CDU and FDP

  under Prime Minister Jürgen Rüttgers (CDU)

  
  
  

  2002 to 2005:

  SPD and Greens

  under Prime Minister Peer Steinbrück (SPD)

Update from May 15, 8:15 p.m .:

The CDU got by far the most votes in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Nevertheless, the SPD also squints at the government.

Everything currently depends on the Greens, who in turn can look back on the historically best NRW result.

According to their political director Emily Büning, the Federal Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia can imagine a coalition with the CDU as well as with the SPD and FDP.

Büning said on ZDF on Sunday evening: "We will now hold talks in the next few days and explore (...) in which coalition we can implement the most green content." That has priority.

North Rhine-Westphalia election: Despite the SPD bankruptcy, Kühnert is heading for an explosive coalition construct – Spahn attests him “shock”

Update from May 15, 7.30 p.m

.: There are two winners in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

On the one hand the CDU, which was able to distance itself clearly from the SPD.

On the other hand, the Greens: They were able to bring in the biggest plus of all parties.

Almost twelve percent more than in the NRW election in 2017. You will thus become the kingmaker in the coalition question - which is why the party is already being campaigned for intensively.

Both from the CDU and the SPD.

On the evening of the election, the CDU never tired of emphasizing that there were “two winners”.

The Greens, too, with whom, according to Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst, one would speak “as with all democratic parties”.

The SPD wants to wait and see "whether red-green is possible," as party leader Lars Klingbeil said.

Secretary General Kevin Kühnert saw a "certain probability" that the SPD could appoint Thomas Kutschaty as prime minister.

"Of course, the runner-up can also negotiate a government," he said in the evening on ARD.

The former CDU Minister of Health Jens Spahn attested Kühnert a “shock” on ARD.

Kühnert listed "contortions" in view of the weak SPD results and wanted to make the SPD look better than it was.

Und die Grünen selbst? Die wollen sich vorerst nicht festlegen. Es sei jetzt „nicht der Abend, über Koalitionsoptionen zu spekulieren“, sagte die Vorsitzende der Grünen-Bundestagsfraktion, Britta Haßelmann am Sonntagabend in der ARD. „Wir werden heute Abend diesen Abend erstmal genießen.“

NRW-Wahl 2022: FDP muss nach CDU-Wahlsieg zittern

Update vom 15. Mai, 19.05 Uhr: Neue Zahlen zur NRW-Wahl. Die CDU um Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst ist der klare Wahlsieger in Nordrhein-Westfalen, das ist mittlerweile klar. Spannend sind die Hochrechnungen mit Blick auf die FDP: Die ARD sieht die FDP nach wie vor bei 5,0 Prozent, das ZDF hingegen bei 5,5 Prozent. Die Liberalen müssen damit bis zum Schluss zittern. Erleben sie ein ähnliches Szenario wie die Grünen bei der Saarland-Wahl im März? Die Ökopartei war wegen 23 Stimmen zu wenig nicht in den Landtag eingezogen. Das Abschneiden ist übrigens hochinteressant für die Koalitionsfrage. Denn: Schafft es die FDP nicht in den Landtag, wäre eine rot-grüne Landesregierung mit einem SPD-Ministerpräsidenten Thomas Kutschaty denkbar.

NRW-Wahl 2022: Kutschaty nach schlechtestem SPD-Ergebnis enttäuscht

Update vom 15. Mai, 18.55 Uhr: SPD-Spitzenkandidat Thomas Kutschaty zeigte sich enttäuscht über das Ergebnis der NRW-Wahl. „Wir wollten stärkste Partei werden. Das ist uns nicht gelungen“, sagte Kutschaty am Sonntagabend. Bei der vergangenen Landtagswahl in Nordrhein-Westfalen hatten die Sozialdemokraten 31,2 Prozent geholt, was damals das schlechteste Ergebnis in Nordrhein-Westfalen bedeutet hat. Aktuellen Zahlen zufolge liegt die SPD derzeit klar unter 30 Prozent – und rund sieben Prozentpunkte hinter Wahlsieger CDU.

NRW-Wahl 2022: CDU gewinnt - Wüst sieht „klaren Regierungsauftrag“

Update vom 15. Mai, 18.35 Uhr: CDU-Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst ist auf der Wahlparty seiner Partei erschienen - und hat ebenfalls von einem „klaren Regierungsauftrag“ in Nordrhein-Westfalen gesprochen. „Die CDU in Nordrhein-Westfalen hat diese Wahl klar gewonnen“, sagte Wüst am Sonntagabend. „Die Menschen haben uns ganz klar zur stärksten Kraft gemacht. Das ist der Auftrag, eine künftige Regierung zu bilden und zu führen.“

Zudem lobte er sowohl Regierungspartner FDP als auch Co-Wahlsieger Grüne. SPD-Gegenkandidat Thomas Kutschaty sprach hingegen von einem Ergebnis, „das wir uns anders vorgestellt haben“. Das „Wahlziel, schwarz-gelb abzuwählen“, sei hingegen geglückt. Dieses Zweierbündnis hat laut aktuellen Zahlen keine Mehrheit mehr. Eine Zweierkoalition aus CDU und Grünen hingegen schon. Alle Informationen zur künftigen Regierung im Koalitionsticker zur NRW-Wahl 2022.

NRW-Wahl 2022: CDU laut Hochrechnung klar stärkste Kraft

Update vom 15. Mai, 18.30 Uhr: Nun gibt es die erste Hochrechnung zur NRW-Wahl. Sie bestätigt das Bild der 18-Uhr-Prognose. Die CDU kommt laut Zahlen von ARD und ZDF auf 35 Prozent, die SPD auf 27,5 beziehungsweise 27,9 Prozent.

Update vom 15. Mai, 18.25 Uhr: Die CDU scheint der klare Wahlsieger der NRW-Wahl. Laut ersten Zahlen stehen die Sozialdemokraten rund sieben Prozentpunkte hinter der CDU. „Wir haben diese Wahl verloren“, sagte Gesundheitsminister Karl Lauterbach daher in der ARD. Der Minister stellte mit Blick auf mögliche Koalitionen klar: „Zunächst müssen die Wahlsieger verhandeln.“ Das seien für ihn CDU und Grüne. Sein Generalsekretär Kevin Kühnert warb indessen dafür, die Chancen zur Bildung einer rot-grünen Landesregierung auszuloten. „Natürlich darf auch der Zweitplatzierte Verhandlungen über eine Regierung führen“. Alle Reaktionen zur Wahl in Nordrhein-Westfalen im Überblick.

NRW-Wahl: Erste Zahlen da! Wüsts CDU siegt spektakulär, SPD enttäuscht, Grüne mit Hammer-Ergebnis

Update vom 15. Mai, 18 Uhr: Die CDU scheint der klare Wahlgewinner in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Laut 18-Uhr-Prognose von ARD und ZDF erreichen die Christdemokraten um Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst 35 Prozent. Die SPD, die in Umfragen vor der NRW-Wahl nur knapp hinter der CDU gelegen war, steht hingegen vor ihrem schlechtesten Ergebnis in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Die Grünen wiederum stehen derzeit bei einem Plus von 12 Prozent im Vergleich zur letzten NRW-Wahl 2017. Für AfD und FDP ist der Einzug in den Landtag indes noch nicht gesichert. Die Linke liegt deutlich unter der Fünf-Prozent-Hürde.

NRW-Wahl 2022: Niedrigere Wahlbeteiligung als 2017 zeichnet sich ab

Update vom 15. Mai, 17.05 Uhr: Die Wahlbeteiligung bei der Landtagswahl in Nordrhein-Westfalen ist offenbar doch geringer als zunächst gedacht. Die Wahlbeteiligung bis 16 Uhr war deutlich niedriger als bei der vorherigen Wahl von 2017 zur selben Zeit, wie die Landeswahlleitung in Düsseldorf mitteilte. Damals waren es um 16 Uhr rund 59 Prozent, nun sind es 53,35 Prozent. Landeswahlleiter Wolfgang Schellen wertete das als „mäßige Wahlbeteiligung“. Die Werte beruhen demnach auf Stichproben, auch Briefwähler zählen mit. 2017 hatte die Wahlbeteiligung am Ende des Wahltags bei 65,2 Prozent gelegen.

Update vom 15. Mai, 16.45 Uhr: Nordrhein-Westfalen ist das bevölkerungsreichste Bundesland - und brachte bereits einige Spitzenpolitiker auf Bundesebene hervor. Allein aus dem aktuellen Scholz-Kabinett sind fünf Minister(innen) in NRW geboren. Hinzu kommt mit dem Sauerländer Friedrich Merz auch der Oppositionsführer der CDU.

• Finanzminister Christian Lindner (FDP): Wuppertal
• Justizminister Marco Buschmann (FDP): Gelsenkirchen
• Familienministerin Lisa Paus (Grüne): Rheine
• Gesundheitsminister Karl Lauterbach (SPD): Düren
• Entwicklungsministerin Svenja Schulze (SPD): Düsseldorf

NRW-Wahl 2022: Laschet-Patzer wird bei Wüst zum Lacher

Update vom 15. Mai, 14.20 Uhr: NRW-Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst (CDU) und sein Herausforderer Thomas Kutschaty von der SPD haben anscheinend einen ähnlichen Humor. Beide Politiker witzelten am Sonntag bei ihrer Stimmabgabe in den jeweiligen Heimatbezirken über das korrekte Falten des Stimmzettels. „Der ist aber schwer zu falten, dass keiner was sehen kann“, sagte Kutschaty, als er in Essen mit seinem Stimmzettel aus der Wahlkabine kam. Bei Ministerpräsident Wüst in Rhede sei die Falttechnik ebenfalls Thema gewesen. Wüst habe mit einem Lacher reagiert, berichtete ein dpa-Fotoreporter.

Bei der Bundestagswahl im vergangenen Herbst hatte der frühere CDU-Kanzlerkandidat und Ex-NRW-Ministerpräsident Armin Laschet seinen Stimmzettel nicht korrekt zusammengefaltet. Beim Fototermin für den Einwurf des Stimmzettels waren dadurch Laschets Kreuze für die CDU zu sehen gewesen. Das hatte zu einer Debatte über die Gültigkeit des Stimmzettels und viel Häme für Laschet geführt.

NRW-Wahl 2022: Letzte Umfragen vor der Abstimmung

Update vom 15. Mai, 11.20 Uhr: Wer regiert nach der „kleinen Bundestagswahl“ in NRW? Sie ist ja auch deshalb spannend, weil es laut letzten Umfragen mehrere Möglichkeiten gäbe. Konkret:

• Große Koalition aus CDU und SPD
• Schwarz-Grün
• Jamaika-Bündnis (CDU, Grüne und FDP)
• Ampel-Koalition (SPD, Grüne und FDP)

Für eine rot-grüne Mehrheit reichte es demnach in einigen Umfragen nicht. NRW-Ministerpräsident Wüst (CDU) würde gern mit der FDP weiterregieren. NRW-SPD-Chef Kutschaty wurde im Wahlkampf von Kanzler Olaf Scholz unterstützt, auf Plakaten waren sie zusammen abgebildet.

Umfragen deuteten zuletzt auf einen knappen Sieg der CDU hin, die bei 30 bis 32 Prozent gesehen wurde. Die SPD wurde bei 28 bis 29 Prozent verortet. Die Grünen könnten mit 16 bis 18 Prozent als drittstärkste Kraft ins NRW-Landesparlament einziehen. FDP und AfD wurden bei sechs bis acht Prozent gesehen.

NRW-Wahl 2022: Spitzenkandidaten Wüst und Kutschaty geben Stimmen ab

Update vom 15. Mai, 8.00 Uhr: Der Startschuss ist gefallen: Bei der NRW-Wahl können die Wahlberechtigten seit diesem Sonntag 8 Uhr ihre Stimme im Wahllokal abgeben. Das sind mehr als 13 Millionen Menschen.

Was sagen die Umfragen vor der „kleinen Bundestagswahl“ im bevölkerungsreichsten Bundesland? In Düsseldorf regiert seit der Landtagswahl 2017 eine schwarz-gelbe Koalition, für deren Fortführung es nicht mehr reichen dürfte. Stattdessen könnte etwa ein Jamaika-Bündnis, eine Ampel-Koalition oder eine schwarz-grüne Regierung zustande kommen. Auch für ein rot-grünes Bündnis könnte es knapp reichen.

NRW-Wahl 2022 im News-Ticker: Wüst laut Umfragen hauchdünn vorn

Erstmeldung: Düsseldorf/München – Mehr als 13 Millionen Bürger in Nordrhein-Westfalen können am Sonntag bei den Landtagswahlen in NRW 2022 an die Wahlurne treten. Es ist die dritte von insgesamt vier geplanten Landtagswahlen in diesem Jahr.

Im bevölkerungsreichsten Bundesland zeichnet sich ein enges Rennen zwischen der regierenden CDU und der SPD ab, wobei jüngste Umfragen zur NRW-Wahl den amtierenden CDU-Ministerpräsidenten Hendrik Wüst zuletzt um zwei bis vier Prozentpunkte vorn sahen. Herausforderer ist der SPD-Spitzenkandidat Thomas Kutschaty.

Landtagswahl NRW 2022: Wüst will in Nordrhein-Westfalen Ministerpräsident bleiben

Mit einer hauchdünnen Mehrheit von nur einem Sitz reagiert im Düsseldorfer Landtag seit fünf Jahren eine Koalition aus CDU und FDP. Nach der Landtagswahl 2017 löste Armin Laschet mit der CDU die SPD-Ministerpräsidentin Hannelore Kraft ab, deren Landesverband damals das schlechtestes Ergebnis seit 1947 eingefahren hatte.

Als Laschet nach seiner erfolglosen Bundeskanzler-Kandidatur im Oktober in den Bundestag einzog, übernahm der damalige Landesverkehrsminister Wüst das Amt des Ministerpräsidenten.

NRW-Wahl 2022: Wüst und Kutschaty wollen ins Ministerpräsidenten-Amt

Oppositionschef ist Wüsts SPD-Herausforderer Thomas Kutschaty. Für die Grünen sitzen 14 Abgeordnete im Landtag, die AfD hat 13 Sitze. Die Linke scheiterte zuletzt an der Fünfprozenthürde und ist nicht im Landtag vertreten. Auch aktuelle Umfragen zur NRW-Wahl sagen ihr ein Scheitern an der Fünf-Prozent-Hürde voraus.

Ob der Amtsbonus des derzeitigen Regierungschef Wüst für die CDU ausricht, ist fraglich: Er übernahm das Amt erst im Oktober 2021 von Armin Laschet. Die SPD setzt auf Oppositionsführer Kutschaty, der unter Ex-Ministerpräsidentin Hannelore Kraft das Justizministerium führte. Für die Grünen kandidiert Spitzenkandidatin Mona Neubaur. Die FDP will mit ihrem Landesvorsitzenden und derzeitigem Vizeministerpräsidenten Joachim Stamp auch im 18. Landtag regieren. Die AfD tritt mit ihrem Fraktionschef Markus Wagner an.

NRW-Wahl: Bis zu fünf mögliche Koalitionen sind denkbar

Für eine Fortsetzung der schwarz-gelben Koalition würde es den jüngsten Umfragen zufolge nicht reichen. Auf jeden Fall dürften rechnerisch nach der Wahl ein Jamaikabündnis aus CDU, Grünen und FDP, eine Ampelkoalition unter Führung der SPD mit Grünen und FDP oder eine große Koalition aus Christ- und Sozialdemokraten möglich sein. Auch für Zweierbündnisse von CDU oder SPD mit den Grünen könnte es aber knapp reichen. Alle News zu Koalitionsgesprächen in NRW finden Sie auch hier.

Sollte die CDU in Nordrhein-Westfalen abgewählt werden, würden die Unionsparteien absehbar nur noch fünf von 16 Ministerpräsidentinnen und Ministerpräsidenten stellen, wohingegen die SPD mit einem Regierungschef in Nordrhein-Westfalen insgesamt neun Landesregierungen anführen würde.

After the bitter defeat in the federal elections last year and in the state elections in Saarland, a defeat in the most populous federal state would threaten the CDU with a further loss of importance and less say in the Bundesrat.

On the other hand, the clear election victory of Minister President Daniel Günther (CDU) in Schleswig-Holstein last Sunday could bring an upswing.

The first forecasts and projections for the NRW elections on Sunday can be found here.