Merkel Party Humiliates SPD Rivals in Last Pre-Election Test
- German leader strengthens her hand ahead of global summitry
- CDU wins most populous state four months before national vote
Merkel Buoyed by German Local Vote
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Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party decisively won an election in Germany’s most populous state, handing her Social Democratic opponents a humiliating defeat and further boosting her momentum as she seeks a fourth term in September.
The Christian Democratic Union’s victory in North Rhine-Westphalia, home to more than a fifth of German voters, is a resounding confirmation for Merkel, 62, and boosts her standing before a series of international summits starting this month, including meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. She’s due to host French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin on Monday for their first meeting after his inauguration.