Overview
- Parties began formal post-election reviews, with Friedrich Merz joining the NRW CDU board in Düsseldorf ahead of a planned statement with Hendrik Wüst.
- The CDU consolidated its position by retaining Düsseldorf and Essen and winning in Bonn, Aachen, Bielefeld and Leverkusen, while Alexander Kalouti captured Dortmund with 52.92%.
- The SPD regained Cologne with Torsten Burmester and said it now holds 13 mayoral posts statewide despite losing long-held Dortmund.
- The AfD failed to win any runoff mayoralties, losing high-profile contests in Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen and Hagen after public tactical endorsements between mainstream parties.
- Turnout was notably elevated in key battlegrounds, with Duisburg reporting 35.03% by 14:00 and Gelsenkirchen 38.34% by 14:30.