CDU finishes first in Lower Saxony local elections as AfD surges to 15.9%

Preliminary municipal results

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) took first place in Sunday municipal and regional elections across Lower Saxony with 27% of the vote, representing a drop of 4.5 percentage points compared to the 2021 election. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) finished in second place with 24.6%, down 5.4 percentage points from five years earlier. Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured third position with 15.9%, rising 11.3 percentage points to more than triple its previous share. The Greens received 14.1%, falling 1.8 percentage points, while Die Linke reached 6%, gaining 3.2 percentage points and doubling its previous result. Total voter turnout reached 64.6% among the 6.3 million registered voters, compared with 57% in the 2021 municipal cycle.

An exit poll conducted by Infratest dimap for public broadcaster NDR showed consistent numbers, placing the CDU at 27.7%, the SPD at 24.5%, the AfD at 16.5%, the Greens at 13.6%, and Die Linke at 5.9%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) stood at 3.6% in the survey, placing it below representation thresholds in regional bodies. Election officials noted that voter turnout had already reached 50.67% by 16:30 on Sunday, preceding the higher final participation level.

Far-right gains and legal disputes

The election results expanded the AfD's presence in western Germany, where the party climbed from 4.6% in previous local voting to over 15%. The vote occurred in Lower Saxony, the home state of car manufacturer Volkswagen, which faces ongoing industrial difficulties. The state's domestic intelligence agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Lower Saxony, classifies the regional party organization as a suspected right-wing extremist group subject to official monitoring.

Municipal electoral committees in Lower Saxony disqualified four AfD candidates ahead of Sunday's vote after questioning their loyalty to the German constitution. In response to the candidate exclusions and the intelligence monitoring classification, the AfD initiated legal proceedings against state and local authorities.

Mayoral races and upcoming state votes

In the state capital of Hanover, incumbent Green Mayor Belit Onay established a clear lead over SPD challenger Axel von der Ohe. Because neither candidate secured an outright majority in the first round, the Hanover mayoral contest will be decided in a runoff election on 27 September 2026. Voting trends in cities first emerged from Wolfsburg during the counting process on Sunday evening.

The Lower Saxony local elections took place one week after an AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt. The results precede state parliamentary elections scheduled for 20 September 2026 in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Reactions within the Christian Democratic Union

Lower Saxony CDU leader Sebastian Lechner expressed optimism on Sunday evening regarding his party's first-place finish. Lechner observed that voters in the state had expressed clear dissatisfaction with the federal government in Berlin, noting that the CDU has a credibility problem that requires calm internal discussion in the coming weeks. Lechner stated that political adjustments may be necessary to address voter concerns.

Asked about the political future of Chancellor Friedrich Merz following the defeat in Saxony-Anhalt, Lechner said that the party should avoid personal leadership debates until after the upcoming regional contests in eastern Germany.

Afterwards, we will discuss in the CDU, as a team, how we can offer tangible relief to the people in this country and implement policy that will bring economic recovery.