Scholz’s party keeps Ukraine policy despite state vote loss

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party says it sees no need for changes to the German leader’s often-criticized approach to the war in Ukraine after an election in Germany’s most populous state brought a clear defeat for his center-left Social Democrats. Germany’s main opposition party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union, took 35.7% of the vote to win Sunday’s election in North Rhine-Westphalia state, home to nearly 18 million people. It finished nine points ahead of Scholz’s Social Democrats, despite expectations of a closer race. A combination of local and national issues appeared to have led to the result. The CDU’s national leader argued Monday that foreign and security policy played a significant role and that was “decidedly negative” for Scholz’s party.