PoliticsGermany: Difficult days for Chancellor Merz

The far-right AfD and the Left Party gained ground in two recent state elections, while centrist parties lost support. The CDU failed to clear the 5% threshold for the first time in a state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and suffered heavy losses in Berlin. Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged that unpopular federal policies contributed to the defeats and described the results as a profound turning point for Germany’s party system.

German politicsstate electionsFriedrich MerzAfD

DDW★★★☆☆2026-09-22 07:28Original