Merz's CDU suffers historic losses in German state elections as AfD gains ground
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union performed poorly in recent state elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, failing to meet thresholds needed for parliamentary representation and being overtaken by other parties, while the far-right AfD made significant gains. Merz described the results as a 'disaster' but said he would remain in office and continue with his coalition's reform plans. The defeats add to mounting pressure on the Chancellor following months of weak approval ratings and speculation about his political future.
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State elections in Germany's Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin have dealt a serious blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the CDU fell below the 5% threshold required to enter the state parliament, marking its worst result ever in that state. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to win the most votes there, although other parties have refused to form coalitions with it, making it unlikely to govern. In Berlin, the CDU appears to be overtaken by Die Linke, or The Left party.
Merz called the results a 'disaster' for his party but stated he would keep his position as Chancellor. He told reporters that his coalition government would continue with plans for economic, tax and welfare reforms. 'The reforms have to come,' he said, emphasising the need for 'backbone, steadfastness and patience.' This defeat follows a similarly poor CDU showing two weeks earlier in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD achieved a major victory. The losses come as Merz faces sustained pressure from months of weak approval ratings and talk about a possible change of Chancellor before the end of his term.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said she believed Merz would leave office 'pretty soon.' Her comment reflects growing confidence within the far-right party as it continues to gain votes across German states, raising questions about how stable Merz's governing coalition will be for the rest of his time in office.
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