Political Parties React To North Rhine-Westphalia State Election Results

BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 15: Martin Schulz, Chairman and chancellor candidate of the German Social Democrats (SPD), and North Rhine-Westphalia SPD lead candidate Hannelore Kraft speak to the media the day after state elections in North Rhone-Westphalia in which the SPD lost to the German Christian Democrats (CDU) on May 15, 2017 in Berlin, Germany. The North Rhine-Westphalia election, which was the third and last state election before federal elections in September, is also the third loss for the SPD, in which it came behind the CDU each time. The three losses or a painful blow for Schulz, who rode an initial wave of popular enthusiasm after he announced he would run for chancellor against Chancellor and CDU Chairwoman Angela Merkel last January. (Photo by Axel Schmidt/Getty Images)