After the SPD’s collapse in Rhineland‑Palatinate, Minister‑President Alexander Schweitzer acknowledged that the party had been defeated in the core. Speaking at a party event in Mainz that evening, he thanked the SPD’s supporters, especially the CDU, saying, “You fought well”. He added that the party’s effort, although sincere, did not meet the electorate’s needs; nevertheless, he pledged that an adequate government would be formed, “because that is what the people of Rhineland‑Palatinate deserve”.
Schweitzer had kept a low profile during the campaign. In a round of candidates broadcast on ZDF, he was represented by state Health Minister Clemens Hoch, and he did not appear at the subsequent state press conference.
Recent polls from ARD and ZDF put the SPD at an average of 26.2 percent – the lowest result in the state’s history. The CDU leads with 30.8 percent. Based on pre‑election statements, the parties are converging on a grand coalition led by CDU politician Gordon Schnieder.
The AfD, averaging about 20 percent, effectively doubled its share. The Greens, still part of the national “traffic‑light” coalition, fell to 8.1 percent in fourth place. Both the FDP (2.2 percent) and the Free Voters (4.0 percent) fall below the 5 percent threshold and will leave the state parliament. The Left’s 4.4 percent is likewise insufficient, and other parties together average around 4.6 percent.
