AfD Candidates Poised for Runoff Elections in Key NRW Cities

In the upcoming municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), candidates from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are showing promising results that could see them advance to runoff elections in several major cities, including Gelsenkirchen, Duisburg, and Hagen.

In Gelsenkirchen, AfD candidate Norbert Emmerich has garnered approximately 30% of the votes counted so far, trailing behind SPD candidate Andrea Henze, who holds around 37% of the votes based on the tally from 208 of 209 polling districts. If these results remain consistent after the final count, Gelsenkirchen will witness a runoff between Henze and Emmerich in two weeks.

Similarly, in Duisburg, AfD candidate Carsten Groß has secured about 20% of the votes following the counting of 447 out of 448 districts, positioning him for a potential runoff against the incumbent Sören Link from the SPD, who is leading with approximately 46%.

The situation in Hagen is notably competitive, with the AfD's Michael Eiche currently occupying the second position with around 23% of the votes counted from 136 out of 183 districts. He is closely trailing Dennis Rehbein from the CDU, who is in the lead. Should these standings hold, Hagen will also proceed to a runoff election.

Runoff elections are scheduled for September 28, where candidates who do not achieve more than 50% of the valid votes in the first round will compete in a second round for the position of mayor, district administrator, or similar roles. In this case, a simple majority will suffice for victory.

The growing influence of the AfD in these urban centers highlights a significant shift in the political landscape of NRW, which has traditionally been dominated by parties such as the SPD and CDU. The outcomes of these elections could have broader implications for local governance and party dynamics in the region.