Germany's conservatives on track to win key state vote

FILE PHOTO: Social Democratic Party (SPD) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends an election campaign rally of top candidate for North-Rhine Westphalian federal state election Thomas Kutschaty in Cologne, Germany, May 13, 2022. REUTERS/Benjamin Westhoff

BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's conservative CDU party was on track to win a regional election in North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday, but the Green party could emerge as "kingmaker" in a potential coalition with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats and the FDP.

An exit poll by infratest dimap, published by broadcaster ARD, had the CDU taking 35.7% of votes, while the Social Democrats were on 27.0%.