Rhein sees CDU as top party after municipal elections - Hesse's local elections reveal shifting voter loyalties and rising turnout
Local elections took place across Hesse on Sunday, with voters choosing new district councils, city and town councils, and local advisory boards. Early trends indicate turnout may have risen compared to the 2021 elections, when just over half of eligible voters participated.
The campaign saw CDU leader Boris Rhein travel extensively across the region for weeks. He later described the process as fair and noted strong public engagement with municipal issues.
In 2021, the CDU led with 28.5% of the vote, followed by the SPD on 24.0%, the Greens on 18.4%, the AfD on 6.9%, the FDP on 6.7%, and the Left Party on 4.0%. This year, however, early results suggest losses in traditional CDU strongholds. In the Odenwaldkreis, support fell from 38% in 2019 to 29% in 2024, while Fulda dropped from 42% to 35%. Urban areas like Frankfurt saw smaller declines, with the party slipping just 3% to 28%. Despite these shifts, Rhein remains confident the CDU will stay the dominant force at the local level in Hesse.
Final results will confirm whether turnout exceeded the 50.4% recorded in 2021. The outcome will also clarify how the CDU's position compares to previous years, particularly in rural and urban districts. Official figures are expected in the coming days.
