New polling in Germany shows Alternative for Germany (AfD) leading in North Rhine-Westphalia for the first time, extending the party’s gains beyond its eastern strongholds. A Forsa poll for Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger put AfD at 24% and the CDU at 22% in Germany’s most populous state, while an Insa national poll put AfD at 29.5% versus 19.5% for the CDU/CSU after recent local election wins in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Why it matters: The shift suggests anti-immigration politics are gaining support in western Germany as well as the east, which could affect party strategy, coalition politics, and migration policy debates nationally. Supporters see it as a backlash to establishment parties, while opponents fear stronger influence for a party known for hardline positions on immigration and identity.
Kurt Zindulka
2026.09.26
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct polling milestone: AfD overtaking the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia and posting a record national lead, rather than a specific election result already tracked.
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