The German Greens appeared to be heading towards a victory on Sunday in the state of Baden-Württemberg, against Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative CDU, in a test vote for the German leader, according to exit polls.
One year after a narrow victory in the federal elections and at the beginning of a busy electoral year, the CDU hoped to win in this region, which is wealthy but struggling with its industry in crisis, governed by the Greens in a rare coalition with the chancellor’s party.
More than 31% of voters gave their support to the Greens, led by Cem Ozdemir, a German of Turkish origin and a central figure in the Greens, according to exit polls commissioned by the public media ARD and ZDF, which attributed around 30% of the votes to the CDU.
Both polls placed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in third place with around 18% of the votes, double its result from the 2021 elections.
If confirmed, this setback in Baden-Württemberg would be a bad signal for Friedrich Merz, ahead of planned elections in several states in 2026, as his party attempts to win back voters who have turned to AfD without alienating its centrists.
The chancellor visited a campaign rally on Friday to support the local CDU candidate. He defended his action to “reduce the number of migrants entering Germany illegally.”
“Do the German Christian Democrats still have the strength to win elections?” he asked in front of supporters, referring to a national and European election.
Context: The article discusses the outcome of the election in Baden-Württemberg between the German Greens and the conservative CDU, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Fact Check: The article highlights the performance of the Greens in the election and the challenges faced by the CDU in the region, as well as the rise of the far-right AfD party.
