The Christian Democratic Union remained the strongest party in Lower Saxony’s local elections, according to preliminary results reported by DW. The vote covered mayors, district administrations and local councils across the northwestern German state.
The CDU won 27.2% of the vote, down from 31.7% in the previous local elections in 2021. The Social Democratic Party finished second with 24.6%, also falling from its earlier result of 30%.
The far-right Alternative for Germany placed third with 15.9%. Although that was below the CDU and SPD, it represented more than a threefold increase from the AfD’s 2021 result. The Greens received 14.1%, while the Left party won 6% and the Free Democrats took 3.7%.
The election attracted unusual attention because it followed the AfD’s landslide victory in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt the previous week. It was viewed as an indication of the party’s standing in western Germany, where its support has generally been lower than in the east, and as a test of sentiment ahead of state elections next year.
Turnout was 64.6% among roughly 6.3 million eligible voters, compared with 57% in 2021. The result was also watched for its implications for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose CDU leads Germany’s federal government; the party’s first-place finish was described by DW as likely to provide relief amid pressure on him.
Further contests are scheduled in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin the following week. DW reported that the AfD is expected to make strong gains in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the CDU is polling at 7% there. Any run-off elections in Lower Saxony will take place on September 27.