The CDU and CSU have won important state elections in Germany. In Bavaria and Hesse, the state surrounding Frankfurt, the party became the largest of all.

In Bavaria, the Christian Social Union party received 36.6 percent of the votes, and in Hesse, its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union, received 34.5 percent. Both states were already governed by a coalition led by the Christian Democrats.

The national coalition parties, the SPD, the Green Party and the liberal Free Democratic Party, suffered losses in both states. In Bavaria, the Social Democratic Party, which is traditionally weak there, reached about 8 percent according to opinion polls. The Free Democratic Party did not reach the electoral threshold there.

The right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has made gains everywhere, and is now the second party in both Bavaria and Hesse. According to preliminary figures, the AfD received 5.7 percentage points in Bavaria and 5.3 percentage points in Hessen.

The coalition in Berlin has been performing poorly in opinion polls for months. Many Germans are dissatisfied with climate measures and immigration policy.

CDU leader Merz, who heads the joint CDU-CSU faction in Berlin, speaks of an exciting result of X’s victory. “If we continue on this path, the coalition chaos will be over by the 2025 elections at the latest.”

Chancellor Schulz (SPD) has not yet responded to the results. Klingbeil, leader of the Social Democratic Party, admitted defeat and congratulated the opposition.