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Story summary
- Baden-Württemberg will hold elections on March 8, 2026, the first of five state elections in Germany that year.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz aims for a CDU victory to bolster his reform agenda, while current Premier Winfried Kretschmann of the Greens will not seek re-election.
- Polls indicate the CDU is slightly ahead, with Cem Özdemir gaining popularity as the Green Party's candidate.
- The SPD faces challenges and risks receiving under 10% of the vote.
- New electoral reforms permit voters aged 16 and over to cast two votes: one for a candidate and one for a party.
