The AfD has come in third with 14.5% of the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia – Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s home state The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has significantly improved its position in North Rhine-Westphalia, coming in third place in Sunday’s regional elections. The key region – where Chancellor Friedrich Merz hails from – is a key stronghold for the ruling coalition. In a post on X on Monday, the AfD declared that it has become the “people’s party” of the region,