⌨German media on September 14th shifted its editorial focus to the Kommunalwahlen in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Early reports discussed ongoing debates around migration and the potential impact of AI, alongside preparations for the NRW elections. As polling stations opened, attention intensified on the AfD's strength, particularly in Gelsenkirchen, and the Green party's prospects. By early afternoon, discussions revolved around potential social welfare cuts and Germany's proposed deportation deal with Afghanistan. However, the dominant story of the day became the election results: initial prognoses and subsequent high-level estimations consistently showed the CDU as the strongest force, with the AfD emerging as a significant winner, tripling its 2020 results in some areas. This surge in AfD support, making it the third strongest force, prompted considerable editorial commentary about its emergence as a "Volkspartei" and its implications for the political landscape.