German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has committed to staying in power and advancing economic, tax, and welfare reforms, despite his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party's recent "disaster" in state elections. Exit polls revealed that in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was projected to win with 38% of the vote, narrowly ahead of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) at 36%. The CDU, in contrast, was expected to fall below the 5% threshold, marking its worst-ever result in the state, which Merz explicitly called a "disaster" for his party. The AfD's national co-leader, Alice Weidel, celebrated the results, stating that the party had become the "strongest force" and reached the "mainstream of the population." However, other parties have indicated they will not work with the AfD, making it unlikely they will govern in the state.
In Berlin, the ruling CDU also faced a setback, projected to be beaten by the left-wing Die Linke party, which was expected to secure nearly 26% of the vote compared to the CDU's 20%. The AfD also saw gains in Berlin, reaching 16%. These defeats follow a previous significant loss for the CDU two weeks prior in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD achieved a major victory and the CDU's vote share was halved. Merz, despite facing mounting pressure, poor approval ratings, and rumors of a potential mid-term replacement, reiterated his commitment to his coalition government's agenda, emphasizing, "The reforms have to come. I am taking on this responsibility, because I want to move our country forward."
Merz, 70, who took office 16 months ago with promises to revitalize Germany's economy, bolster its military, and curb immigration, acknowledged a waning public trust in institutions, which he attributed to being "actively undermined by radical parties on both the left and the right." ING economist Carsten Brzeski noted that Merz's swift public address was likely an attempt to quash growing speculation about his resignation. Brzeski also commented on the increasingly fragmented political landscape, where a win for a right-wing populist party in one state and a left-wing populist party in another indicates that "years of economic stagnation helped produce that fragmentation. Now the fragmentation will make the stagnation harder to escape." Despite calls for his resignation from figures like AfD's Tino Chrupalla, Merz has received some backing from eight state premiers who called for stability over personnel discussions.
Merz's personal approval ratings are currently just above 10%, a significant drop from his initial promises. He canceled a trip to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, signaling his focus on domestic issues following the election results. Die Linke's victory in Berlin is historic, with the party advocating drastic measures to address the city's housing crisis, including the expropriation of apartments from large corporate landlords.
