BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party finished first in municipal polls in Germany’s most populous state, but the biggest winner in the first electoral test since Merz’s government took power was the far-right Alternative for Germany, which nearly tripled its showing compared with five years ago.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) said the outcome of local elections in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia is a setback for the democratic establishment, after a far-right party managed to nearly triple its share of votes.

Tackling migration is a priority for the nationalist AfD which wants to spread its appeal to western Germany from eastern strongholds.

As many as six candidates for Germany's far-right AfD have died in recent weeks ahead of local elections in the big western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Police have made clear there is no evidence of foul play in the deaths, but it means that new ballots will have to be printed and some postal voters will have to recast their ballots.

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk, the biggest donor to President Donald Trump's election effort, has also publicly backed the AfD.

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Friedrich Merz ‘s party finished first in municipal polls in Germany’s most populous state, but the biggest winner in the first electoral test since Merz’s government took power was the far-right Alternative for Germany, which nearly tripled its showing compared with five years ago.