The new state parliament is expected to convene on May 18.

The parliament will comprise four parties, with the Greens as the smallest faction, shaping coalition dynamics and policy directions.

CDU and SPD have completed exploratory talks, with a scheduled press conference to report results and clarify whether formal coalition negotiations will begin.

If coalition talks move forward, the next step would be formal negotiations and the drafting of a coalition agreement outlining shared government goals.

Lead negotiators are Gordon Schnieder for the CDU and Alexander Schweitzer for the SPD; other participants include party officials from both sides, with further steps yet to be decided.

Exploratory talks have begun four days after the election, with limited public details about the framework and content of the negotiation process.

This election marks a first in a western German state parliament where the FDP fails to clear the 5% threshold, reducing the number of factions to four.

The March 22 state election results place the CDU as the strongest party with 31.0% of votes, ahead of the SPD at 25.9%, with the AfD at 19.5%, Greens at 7.9%, and FDP at 2.1%; this points to a CDU-led government and signals a potential shift in Mainz’s leadership.

If coalition talks proceed, the most likely outcome is a CDU-led government with Gordon Schnieder as Minister-President, contingent on the cabinet’s final composition.

Overall, the CDU seems positioned to lead, pending the results of formal negotiations and the final coalition agreement.