CDU leads municipal elections in Lower Saxony, AfD rises to third place

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) emerged as the most-voted party in Lower Saxony’s municipal elections, maintaining its lead over the Social Democratic Party (SPD). The result offers partial relief to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, although the Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded a significant increase and came third.

Preliminary data from the electoral authorities show that the CDU secured 27.2 percent of the vote for district councils.

The SPD received 24.6 percent, while the AfD was backed by 15.9 percent of voters.

According to local media, this is effectively the AfD’s strongest result in the history of its participation in municipal elections in Lower Saxony.

Turnout was 64.6 percent, a significantly higher level than in the 2021 elections, when 57.0 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.

Around 6.3 million citizens were eligible to vote in these elections. The result was announced during a delicate period for German politics, following the CDU’s defeat in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and the discussions surrounding Chancellor Merz.

Sebastian Lechner, chairman of the CDU in Lower Saxony, had expressed confidence even before the first results were announced, but acknowledged that the contest took place in a difficult political atmosphere.

“We, too, have noticed the dissatisfaction with Berlin,” he said.