The right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) achieved a historic breakthrough in Sunday’s mayoral elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, advancing candidates to the second round in a challenging western state where the AfD has long struggled to gain traction.
Previously, the AfD tripled its vote share in the municipal elections, signaling growing voter frustration with mainstream parties.
In Gelsenkirchen, AfD candidate Norbert Emmerich received 33.1 % against SPD’s Andrea Henze, who won 66.9%. Duisburg saw incumbent SPD mayor Sören Link secure 78.6%, defeating AfD rival Carsten Groß, who obtained 21.4%. Hagen elected CDU’s Dennis Rehbein with 71.7%, while AfD candidate Michael Eiche received 28.3%.
The elections also brought historic shifts in other cities. In Dortmund, CDU candidate Alexander Omar Kalouti defeated SPD incumbent Thomas Westphal, marking the first CDU mayor since 1946. Cologne returned to SPD leadership with Torsten Burmester winning 53.5% of the vote against Green candidate Berivan Aymaz. The Greens lost Aachen and Bonn but claimed Münster, where Tilman Fuchs became the city’s first Green mayor with 57.9%.
Despite falling short in the runoffs, the AfD’s presence in multiple mayoral second rounds demonstrates its growing influence in North Rhine-Westphalia, traditionally a stronghold for established parties.
For a party long sidelined in the industrial west, the results mark a significant milestone and signal a shift among voters.
