# Merz insists he will remain German chancellor after state-election losses

https://mins.news/en/item/67046

- The Guardian, 2026-09-21 08:49 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/sep/21/merz-german-chancellor-state-elections-russia-ukraine-europe-live-latest-news

> German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he will stay in office despite the CDU’s severe setbacks in two regional elections. The party won only 4.9% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, failing to enter a state parliament for the first time in 77 years, after taking 17% in Saxony-Anhalt against the AfD’s nearly 44%. Pressure within the CDU and talk of replacing Merz have intensified.

## Stories

- [Merz Government and AfD Political Rivalry](https://mins.news/en/topic/germany-merz-and-afd-politics) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/germany-merz-and-afd-politics.md

## Related coverage

- [Latest German election humiliation puts Merz on borrowed time as CDU unrest grows](https://mins.news/en/item/67152) — The Guardian, 2026-09-21
- [AfD surges as Merz’s CDU suffers regional election setback](https://mins.news/en/item/67131) — France 24, 2026-09-21
- [Merz’s CDU loses Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania vote, election body says](https://mins.news/en/item/66596) — TASS, 2026-09-20
- [German chancellor calls state election a 'disaster' for his party but vows to stay on](https://mins.news/en/video/66595) — DW News, 2026-09-20