German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has acknowledged a serious electoral setback for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), but has rejected suggestions that the results of two state elections should force him from office.
Exit polls released on Sunday showed significant losses for the CDU in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, adding to growing political pressure on Merz only about 16 months after he became chancellor. Speaking after the first projections were announced, Merz described the outcome as a “disaster” for his party while making clear that he intended to continue leading the federal government.
The most striking result came in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was projected to finish first with 37% of the vote, narrowly ahead of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which received 35.5% in the exit poll. The CDU was projected at 5.5%, placing it only slightly above the five-percent threshold required to enter the state parliament. Reuters reported that, if confirmed, the figure would represent the CDU's worst result in a German state election since 1949.
Berlin also produced a difficult result for Merz's party. The Left party (Die Linke) was projected to lead with 24.5%, followed by the CDU at 20%, while the AfD recorded 16%. The figures represented another indication of the changing political landscape in Germany, where established parties are facing stronger competition from parties at both ends of the political spectrum.
The results come after the AfD's strong performance in Saxony-Anhalt earlier in September, where it also made major gains. The party's continued success in state elections has intensified debate about the direction of German politics and the effectiveness of the established parties' strategy of refusing coalition cooperation with the AfD.
For Merz, the immediate challenge is to prevent the state-level defeats from undermining his federal government's programme. He has argued that Germany needs political stability and that his administration must continue working on economic and social reforms. Before Sunday's elections, he had also pledged measures aimed at easing pressure on households, including action on high fuel costs.
The chancellor's position has nevertheless come under increasing scrutiny. His government has faced criticism over the cost of living, economic weakness and proposed reforms involving areas such as pensions, taxation and healthcare. Reuters reported that senior CDU figures have continued to support him for now, although the latest electoral defeats are likely to fuel further discussion within the party about its political strategy.
Despite the setbacks, Merz has indicated that he intends to serve his full term and continue pursuing his government's agenda. The election results therefore leave Germany's political debate focused not only on the performance of individual parties, but also on how the country's established political forces will respond to changing voter preferences ahead of the next federal election, scheduled for 2029.