German state elections deal heavy blow to Chancellor Merz's CDU as far-right AfD surges
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU suffered significant defeats in state elections on 20 September in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the party fell below the 5% threshold for the first time in its history there, while the far-right Alternative for Germany won the most votes. The results compound earlier losses in Saxony-Anhalt and raise questions about Merz's political future.
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German voters dealt Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU a further setback on 20 September in state elections held in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, exit polls initially suggested the CDU would narrowly clear the 5% threshold required to remain in the state parliament, but subsequent results showed the party falling below that mark entirely, marking its worst-ever performance in the state. Merz described the outcome as "a disaster" for his party.
The far-right Alternative for Germany was set to win the most votes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, though it remains unlikely to enter government there, as other parties have consistently refused to cooperate with it. In Berlin, the ruling CDU was defeated by Die Linke. These results follow a separate defeat two weeks earlier in Saxony-Anhalt, where the CDU's vote share was cut in half while the AfD achieved a significant victory.
Facing low approval ratings and speculation about a possible leadership change, Merz told reporters at CDU headquarters in Berlin that he intends to continue with his coalition's economic, tax and welfare reforms regardless of the election results, stating that "the reforms have to come." The defeats reflect a broader pattern of far-right gains across Europe this year and add to uncertainty surrounding the stability of Merz's chancellorship.
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