The Christian Democratic Union emerged as the strongest force in the Rhineland‑Palatinian state election, according to early projections. CDU top candidate Gordon Schnieder celebrated the party’s revival at a victory party in Mainz, declaring that the CDU “is back” and that the state will not be governed without its influence in the coming years. He said he would wait for the final provisional results before drawing firm conclusions.
Initial forecasts from ARD and ZDF put the CDU at an average of 30.6 percent. It would surpass the still‑incumbent Social Democratic Party, which is projected to capture 26.7 percent-its lowest result in the state’s history. After 35 years at the head of government, the SPD would finish second.
Pre‑election statements from the parties suggest a grand coalition would be formed, with Schnieder at the helm.
The Alternative for Germany, poll‑averaged at 20 percent, would trail in third place, having more than doubled its share. The Greens, still part of a traffic‑light coalition in Mainz, would come in fourth with 8.0 percent. The Free Democratic Party (2.1 percent) and the Free Voters (3.8 percent) would fail to enter the state parliament, and the Left, with 4.5 percent, would also miss the five‑percent threshold. The remaining parties, averaged at 4.5 percent, would likewise fall short of representation.
