In North Rhine-Westphalia, the largest federal state, there will be elections on Sunday. There is much to suggest that the CDU will remain the strongest force in the state parliament. But everything else is pretty open. An overview.
One of the nice things in the life of a Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia is getting to know the most remote corners of his country. In the very north-east, for example, where a wrong turn leads quickly to Lower Saxony. It’s the end of January, Hendrik Wüst, 46, is crouching behind a rose at the foot of Sternberg Castle, photographers pointing his smile in the right direction. The rose is not real, but part of a backdrop, next to it is a large 75 in the national colors of green, white and red. It is the Lippe rose.