Merkel’s conservative CDU wins key state election

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) claimed victory against rival Social Democrats (SPD) in North Rhine-Westphalia's state election on Sunday.

The CDU has garnered 34.3 percent of the vote in the traditional SPD stronghold of North Rhine-Westphalia, up from 26.3 percent in 2012 state election, according to the early results aired by the public television ARD.

The polls showed the SPD ranked second with taking 30.6 percent of the vote. It lost 8.5 percent when compared to the 2012 election.

It was the worst election performance of the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia since the Second World War.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) will also enter North Rhine-Westphalia's parliament for the first time, after accumulating 7.7 percent of the vote.

Sunday’s elections were widely seen as a test of support for Merkel and Christian Democrats in the run-up to the national elections on September 24.