About 13 million citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia are expected to elect a new state parliament in May. 29 different parties are running in 128 constituencies.
Bonn: postal voters receive wrong voting documents
Friday, April 22, 2022, 1:05 p.m.: About 1,000 voters in Bonn received fake postal voting documents before the regional elections. The letters for the local electoral district “Äußere Nordstadt” contained the wrong ballot papers, the city announced on Friday. The district was accidentally assigned to the wrong constituency while preparing the documents. A constituent noticed it.
Mail-in voters in the constituency who had requested their documents before April 20 are affected. The city will send all those concerned new documents with an explanatory letter. Documents already sent would be declared invalid.
Incorrect postal voting documents also in the district of Steinfurt
Incorrect postal voting documents were also sent to the district of Steinfurt. However, the ballots are not affected here, but the attached letters of explanation, the district returning officer said Friday. Affected voters will receive the corrected version of the letter in the coming days. However, votes already cast are still valid, according to the district returning officer.
Prime Minister Wüst met his wife through an election poster
Friday, April 22, 2022, 8:40 a.m.: The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst (CDU) and his wife got closer thanks to an election poster. Wüst said this about three and a half weeks before the national elections in an interview with “Bunte” magazine.
The FDP wants to change the constitution in North Rhine-Westphalia
Friday, April 22, 2022, 8:15 a.m.: The FDP of North Rhine-Westphalia wants equality in vocational and university education to be anchored in the state constitution. “A master should be worth as much as a master,” FDP party leader and Minister for Children Joachim Stamp told the German Press Agency (DPA) in Düsseldorf. According to Stamp, the model for the initiative is the Swiss Federal Constitution.
“It must be possible again to be able to do responsible work in our society with a medium-level qualification”, justified the initiative of the head of the NRW-FDP list for the regional elections on May 15. An important sociopolitical sign along the way is the opening of the police career path to high school seniors. According to the state government, the demand for the school trial from August is very high.
FDP: Revalorization of middle school diplomas
However, the NRW-FDP wanted to go further and fundamentally improve middle school qualifications, Stamp explained. This is why the State Party recently declared in a resolution on its priorities after the national elections: “Skills and abilities must be recognized – however they were acquired.” Skills acquired in universities should therefore be recognized for vocational training and vice versa.
Wahl-O-Mat for North Rhine-Westphalia now at the start
Thursday April 21, 2022, 10:30 a.m.: The Wahl-O-Mat is a handy tool for anyone who still doesn’t know which party to vote for in the regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia. Based on 38 theses on politics in NRW, the online tool finds the right party. Today at 10.30 a.m. the Wahl-O-Mat for the regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia goes online. Here you will find more information about the Wahl-O-Maten for the regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Greens want free daycare food and cheap school meals
Thursday, April 21, 2022, 7:50 a.m.: The Greens want to introduce healthy, free catering in nurseries and cheap school meals if they take part in the government in North Rhine-Westphalia during the new legislature. In university canteens and company canteens, they are also planning “a quality offensive”, as declared by the head of the Green list in the legislative elections on May 15, Mona Neubaur, to the German press agency in Dusseldorf. In NRW, approximately 3.5 million people benefit from collective catering every day. That means there’s “an effective lever” for sustainable nutrition there, according to Neubr.
Kutschay on Manuela Schwesig: committed like no other
Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 8:15 a.m.: SPD Deputy Chairman Thomas Kutschaty defended Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) against persistent criticism in the debate over the German-Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. “Manuela Schwesig engages for his country and for the people of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania like no other – especially with a view to employment,” Kuschaty told Editorial Network Germany (RND, Wednesday, April 20, 2022). She explained that from today’s perspective, supporting Nord Stream 2 was a mistake. “After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, energy policy in Germany must be completely reoriented,” demanded the chairman of the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia and head of the list in the regional elections in May.
Schwesig’s role in Nord Stream 2 controversial
Schwesig is accused of being too tied to Russian gas company Nord Stream 2. In early 2021, a climate foundation was set up in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to help complete the pipeline despite threats of US sanctions. As recently released documents show, Nord Stream 2 AG, with Russian state-owned Gazprom as majority shareholder, was directly involved in the preparations for the foundation. The Christian State Interior Minister (SPD) admitted that as Minister of Energy at the time, he was in regular contact with Nord Stream 2 while working on the statutes and incorporating the company wishes. Schwesig also admitted there had been talks, but dismissed reports that Nord Stream 2 had been tasked with founding the foundation.
Erroneous Mail-in Voting Papers at Brilon
Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 8:06 a.m.: There was a breakdown in the postal voting documents for the regional elections in May in Brilon (district of Hochsauerland). The documents sent for a few days contained a faulty system, which was noticed on Maundy Thursday, the city in Sauerland reported on Tuesday. The postal voting documents issued by the Easter weekend remain valid, however, since the ballot paper is not concerned, as the municipality pointed out. The state election authority expressly confirmed this. On May 15, a new regional parliament will be elected in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Flyer on postal voting in Brilon with false information
In Brilon, about 2,800 citizens had requested postal voting documents before the Easter weekend. These consist of a ballot, a blue ballot envelope, a red ballot envelope, a ballot and a flyer. The leaflet contained two erroneous instructions: that “the ballot must be separated from the red envelope along the perforated line” and that “the ballot must be signed on the back”. Both statements are incorrect, as the ballot does not contain a punched line, nor is there a signature field on the reverse.
The city has now exchanged the leaflets. All eligible voters who received the erroneous leaflets will subsequently receive the correct version. However, if voters have inadvertently cut their ballot in the middle, the city is asking for comment. In this case, new postal voting documents will be issued to you.
Prime Minister Wüst criticizes Chancellor Scholz
Tuesday 02/19/2022, 8:05 a.m.: North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) strongly criticized the behavior of the SPD and Chancellor Olaf Scholz in connection with the war in Ukraine.
“The SPD has a persistent problem with Putin that everyone can see,” Wüst told the Rheinische Post (Tuesday) in view of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The fact that the past is too close seems to cripple the Social Democrats to this day, and they should finally take a clear stand against the Russian aggressor,” Wüst said.
Wüst: Procrastination by the SPD and the Chancellor must stop
“With the slow and belated support from Ukraine, the SPD is isolating Germany more every day in Europe. Germany has never been so isolated and apathetic in an international crisis,” Wüst said. “The Greens and the FDP are right: the procrastination of the SPD and the Chancellor must stop, Ukraine must not be left in plane. This also applies to military support,” Wüst said. “Stronger Ukrainian defenses against Russian aggression will also strengthen Germany’s security and prevent further escalation between Russia and NATO. This is how we guarantee peace.
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The electoral campaign in North Rhine-Westphalia is accelerating: on May 15, 13 million eligible voters will be able to put their crosses on and elect a new Land parliament. The most important thing in choosing.