CDU wins state election in Rhineland-Palatinate, SPD loses ground

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has won the state election in Rhineland-Palatinate, according to exit polls and projections. The party finished ahead of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which had long governed the state.

The result represents a significant loss for the SPD in one of its traditional strongholds. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) also achieved a record result in the state.