In the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, the CDU became the strongest force on Sunday. It is well ahead of the defeated SPD. The second election winners are the Greens, who were able to triple their values. They are now considered “Kingmakers”. The first reactions and live press conferences can be read here.
The victory of Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst in North Rhine-Westphalia is balm for the federal CDU and its new party leader Friedrich Merz. After the defeat in the Bundestag elections, the CDU proved that they can win elections again. But will she also form the government in NRW? In any case, it is no longer enough for black and yellow. The CDU looks to the Greens, who are now considered “kingmakers” in North Rhine-Westphalia. But the SPD also hopes for a government under their leadership, which would be possible with the Greens and the FDP.
12.30 p.m .: On Monday afternoon, party leader Friedrich Merz and election winner Hendrik Wüst spoke at a press conference in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus. FOCUS Online reported live.
The most important:
Election winner Hendrik Wüst (CDU) announced that he would talk to all democratic parties about a possible coalition in the state parliament. It became clear that he has his eye on the Greens in particular, who are considered the second election winners and “kingmakers” in North Rhine-Westphalia. He addressed congratulations directly to the “NRW Greens and their top candidate Mona Neubaur”. Incidentally, the undertaking does not seem to be far-fetched. Neubaur is said to be willing to support black and green, even if the state association is considered to be more left-leaning.
CDU party leader Merz sees his course confirmed with the victory in North Rhine-Westphalia. He does not want to “overrate, but also not underrate” a Merz effect. When asked whether Wüst or Günther (election winners in Schleswig-Holstein) are possible chancellor candidate competitors, he laughs.
To read the minute log:
1:01 p.m .: The press conference is over.
1:00 p.m.: Keyword women’s quota. CDU party leader Merz does not want to commit himself further. Wüst is in favor of it, as is the CDU election winner in Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther.
12:59 p.m .: Did the Merz effect play a role at all? A journalist wants to know. The camera captures a grinning CDU leader. “If we had lost the election, they would certainly all have written, the Merz effect had an impact. Now we have won and the Merz effect is being questioned,” he criticizes. “The state election is a combination of state political issues and the top candidate as well as a unity of the CDU/CSU and issues that I support significantly,” Merz continued. “There are certainly effects, but I don’t want to overestimate or underestimate them.” Wüst says: “I’m grateful for the support from Merz, Czaja – organizationally and personally.”
12:57 p.m .: “There are two election winners in NRW,” says Wüst, referring to the CDU and the Greens. But he wants to approach all parties for a possible governing coalition. In federal politics, the NRW election is a “stage victory – no more, no less,” Merz continues. There is still a lot of work ahead of the party.
12:53 p.m .: How should the SPD react to the election result? “The SPD put up posters with the chancellor – so federal politics played a decisive role,” said Merz. For the SPD a “really bad”. The SPD must analyze that itself. “For us, the result means that we will continue like this in Berlin.”
12.49 p.m .: Question to Mr. Merz: Are the two young winners (in NRW Wüst, in Schleswig-Holstein Günther) also eligible for chancellorship? “I am happy about everyone who wins elections. […] That strengthens us all,” says Merz. And Wüst adds: “The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia always plays a role in Berlin, but primarily has the interests of his state and his people in mind.”
12.48 p.m .: Making the industrial country sustainable is now the most important task, says Wüst, possibly squinting a little towards the Greens, which are considered “kingmakers”. But Wüst also mentions internal security and education as essential components.
12.47 p.m .: The voters had decided that the clear government mandate would be accepted. “My goal and my task now is to form a stable government for NRW,” he continues. He therefore wants to speak to all democratic parties that have made it into the state parliament in the next few days.
12.46 p.m .: Now the election winner Hendrik Wüst speaks.
12.45 p.m .: You feel confirmed by the elections won in the course, Merz continues. “This shows the CDU can win elections – in NRW … and in Germany”. And further: “I want to put it this way: Since yesterday, the CDU is back in first place among the German parties.”
12.44 p.m .: However, the election also had a federal political influence, according to Merz. The poor election result of the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia is “a very clear answer to the federal government and especially to the chancellor,” he shoots towards Scholz.
12.43 p.m .: CDU leader Friedrich Merz speaks first. “We had a good election day yesterday in NRW,” he begins. The CDU won “by far ahead of the Social Democrats”. That is “a clear message”. Above all, it was “an election victory by Hendrik Wüst,” he praised.
12:42 p.m.: The press conference begins.
Hendrik Wüst, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia: “The voters made a clear decision: We, the CDU, clearly won this election. The people have clearly made us the strongest force, that is the mandate to form and lead a future government. I thank the people for this clear vote of confidence, I thank the cabinet, the parliamentary group, the party headquarters, the candidates and the election campaigners. Team Wüst, you guys are awesome. My heartfelt thanks also go to my wife. Thank you for your strength”
Jens Spahn, CDU: “That’s a great result, better than expected. Anyone who presents himself with a historically poor result and makes government claims can no longer be helped. The SPD is the big loser in the election. This is now also the starting point for talks in the next few days.”
Thomas Kutschaty, SPD top candidate: “You saw the first projection. The result is not what we imagined. Union and Greens have increased and that’s why it’s part of congratulating the winners. Our result is below our expectations. We wanted to be the strongest party, but we didn’t succeed. But: Our number one electoral goal, to vote out black and yellow, was achieved.”
Kevin Kühnert, SPD General Secretary: “Of course, the runner-up can also conduct negotiations about a government. It’s no secret that this is a coalition that we in the SPD also like very much. And if there is an opportunity for that, then, as always in a democracy, it will be decided who can gather a majority in the state parliament and negotiations should then also take place.”
Karl Lauterbach, SPD: “The election result is of course disappointing. A red-green government was actually possible the whole time. I hope that still works.”
Johannes Vogel, Deputy Head of the FDP: “It’s a heavy defeat. It hurts.”
Moritz Körner, FDP General Secretary NRW: “It’s a very, very difficult defeat, it really hurts. We will have to look closely at the reasons. It is not our task today to press ahead with the formation of a government.”
Mona Neubaur, top candidate of the Greens: “We worked hard here in North Rhine-Westphalia for this leap of faith. We have noticed that what our representatives in the federal government are doing is, above all, to maintain a position and a compass in times of crisis and to communicate clearly that the people here in NRW also trust us to do the same.
Karien Prien, CDU federal vice: “The CDU is clearly the strongest force, which clearly goes hand in hand with a government mandate for the CDU. They too are undoubtedly the winners of tonight’s elections. The CDU is out of the valley of tears.”
Bodo Löttgen, CDU parliamentary group leader: “This is a clear government mandate for the CDU. The prime minister, as party leader, will conduct the talks and then we’ll see what they come up with. It’s a shame that the FDP wasn’t able to benefit from the last few years in government. Of course, there are also intersections with the Greens in terms of political style. We are a reliable partner as the CDU.”
Jessica Rosenthal, Juso boss: “Of course we are not satisfied with the result. But: black and yellow was voted out. Then now is the hour of soundings. In the end, the Greens have to know in which direction they are going.”
All news about the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia can be found in the Newsticker.
