PoliticsGerman chancellor calls state election a 'disaster' for his party but vows to stay on

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU suffered a major setback in two state elections. In eastern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right Alternative for Germany won its second consecutive regional victory, while the CDU may fail to clear the 5% threshold for parliament. In Berlin, Merz's party also lost its leading role in the state government.