2 4 . 0 % ▁to ▁the ▁Evangel ical ▁Church ▁in ▁Germany ▁and ▁ 3 8 . 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁ir rel ig ious ▁or ▁ad her es ▁to ▁other ▁relig ions . ▁ ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁ranks ▁first ▁in ▁population ▁among ▁German ▁states ▁for ▁both ▁Roman ▁C athol ics ▁and ▁Protest ants . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁interior ▁min istry ▁of ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁mos ques ▁with ▁a ▁sal af ist ▁influence ▁had ▁ris en ▁from ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁ 5 5 , ▁which ▁indicated ▁both ▁an ▁actual ▁increase ▁and ▁improved ▁reporting . ▁According ▁to ▁German ▁authorities , ▁Sal af ism ▁is ▁in compatible ▁with ▁the ▁principles ▁cod ified ▁in ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Germany , ▁in ▁particular , ▁dem ocracy , ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁law ▁and ▁a ▁political ▁order ▁based ▁on ▁human ▁rights . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁The ▁politics ▁of ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁takes ▁place ▁within ▁a ▁framework ▁of ▁a ▁federal ▁parliament ary ▁representative ▁dem ocr atic ▁republic . ▁The ▁two ▁main ▁parties ▁are , ▁as ▁on ▁the ▁federal ▁level , ▁the ▁centre - right ▁Christian ▁Democratic ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁centre - left ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁was ▁continu ously ▁govern ed ▁by ▁the ▁Social ▁Democr ats ▁or ▁SP D - led ▁govern ments .