PoliticsGerman Chancellor Merz vows to stay on despite ‘disaster’ in state elections
Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he will remain in office despite exit polls indicating damaging defeats for his centre-right CDU in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The AfD is projected to win the most votes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while Berlin’s CDU is expected to trail Die Linke. Merz called the outcome “a disaster.”
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BBC NewsOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-20 16:50
- Merz’s party faces dire night in state elections as far right surges, exit polls show
Exit polls indicate that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party is headed for a disastrous result in state elections, increasing pressure on his leadership as the far-right party gains ground.
- German exit polls show Merz’s party suffering heavy losses in two state elections
Exit polls project Merz’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union at just 5.5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, its worst result there since World War II. In another state election, the CDU is forecast to finish second with 20%, behind the Left party on 24.5%, according to ARD.
Germany’s far-right AfD makes strong gains in two state electionsExit polls showed the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, finishing first in a northeastern German state election on Sunday, strengthening the far-right party’s national momentum. The AfD also gained ground in a separate election in Berlin, adding pressure on conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz as he fights for political survival.
AfD threatens fresh blow to Merz as two German states hold key voteVoters are heading to the polls in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with the far-right AfD expected to make further gains after its historic win in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago. Although it has no realistic route to power in Berlin, Sunday’s vote is a major test of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ability to stay in office.
Will Germany’s far-right AfD win two more regions?Two weeks after the far-right AfD secured its first major regional election victory in Germany, voters in two eastern states head to the polls on Sunday. Voting has opened in Berlin and largely rural Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
German elections under way as polls could determine Chancellor Merz’s fateLocal elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern could deepen pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz if his Christian Democratic Union suffers heavy losses. The far-right AfD hopes to build on its recent victory, while the centre-left SPD has mounted a late challenge in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Germany: Polls open in two key state electionsVoting has begun in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the far-right AfD is expected to gain and the result could determine whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz remains in power. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the SPD faces the AfD, while Merz’s CDU must clear the 5% threshold to enter the state parliament.
Two German states vote after far-right gainsAround 3.8 million voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are voting on Sunday. The AfD’s recent defeat of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU in Saxony-Anhalt has intensified pressure on him, while far-right and far-left gains in the two states could further affect his political standing.
Future of German chancellor hangs in the balance as two states go to pollsVoters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are heading to the polls as Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a test of his leadership. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland is seeking further gains at the expense of his CDU, with a severe result potentially prompting calls for his replacement or snap elections.
