Wüst promises billions for NRW: Does the CDU care about the municipalities?

Wüst promises billions for NRW: Does the CDU care about the municipalities?

On August 31, 2025, Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) announced that more than half of the funds for infrastructure investments would flow to North Rhine-Westphalia. The CDU politician emphasizes that “the majority” of the money from the federal special fund should go to the municipalities. Cities and municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia can expect more than eleven billion euros, which represents an urgently needed investment for the municipalities.

Wüst is convinced that there is no disagreement about the need for investments. Nevertheless, representatives of the NRW cities are calling for the share to be fixed for the municipalities, but this is rejected by the black-green coalition. This commitment comes just two weeks before the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, which draws public attention to the upcoming decisions.

Local elections and political competition

In his interview, Wüst emphasizes the importance of the local elections as he wants the CDU to remain the “number one local party”. However, he sees the Greens as direct competitors in both big cities and rural areas. Wüst appeals to voters in North Rhine-Westphalia to pay close attention to their vote in local elections and to be aware of the growing competition from the AfD. However, he does not see this as a serious local political claim.

The political landscape is therefore increasingly influenced by several factors. Wüst advocates professional and decent dealings in politics and encourages the various political actors to act in this spirit.

Migration policy in focus

Another central topic in Wüst's statements is migration policy. He reflects on Angela Merkel's earlier statement, “We can do it!”, and recognizes that not all problems in the integration of refugees have been satisfactorily solved. Wüst is therefore calling for a comprehensive change in refugee policy to ensure that integration actually works.

His position on this issue underlines the state government's extensive efforts to take into account the needs of migrants and the host society. This is particularly relevant for the work of the Wüst II cabinet, the current state government of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has governed since the formation of a black-green coalition after the state election on May 15, 2022.

The Wüst II cabinet faces the challenge of shaping the social and economic conditions in North Rhine-Westphalia and takes these diverse issues into account with its policies. Different departments are headed by different ministers, including aspects such as education, social affairs and the environment. At a time when political issues are particularly explosive, Wüst attaches great importance to integrity and cooperation in politics.