Germany: Might Merz's political prospects be weakened in upcoming local NRW elections? | DW News

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing his first major electoral test, just four months after taking office. On Sunday, voters in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state at its western border, headed to the polls for local elections. Merz's conservatives and their coalition partner the Social Democrats, are expected to stay on top. But polls suggest they could lose ground to the far-right AfD and the Left Party. North Rhine-Westphalia's mix of vibrant university cities, post-industrial towns and farmland makes it a political bellwether for the entire country.

Chapter Breakdown
0:00 Merz faces first major electoral test in NRW elections
0:40 Oliver Lembcke, Political Scientist at Ruhr University Bochum on why Merz's party is expected to lose ground in NRW local elections

#chancellormerz
#afd #nrwelections

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Post from DW News on September 13, 2025

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