The result propelled the party past the Greens, who fell to 13.5%, securing AfD third place statewide behind the traditional "main" parties, the conservative CDU and "Socialist" SPD.

It was the worst communal election performance for both the CDU, which dropped to 33.3%, and the SPD, which sank to 22.1%, since 1946. Voter turnout rose to 56.5%, with 13.7 million eligible voters deciding on around 20,000 local mandates and several key mayoral contests.