German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced a significant electoral setback on Sunday, with his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffering a historic defeat in two state elections. Despite the bruising results, Merz declared his intention to press forward with his government's reform agenda for Europe's largest economy.
Projections from public broadcaster ARD revealed that the CDU garnered a mere 4.9% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, marking the party's worst performance in any state election since World War II. This result, if finalized, would mean the CDU failing to secure any seats in a state legislature for the first time in its history. The anti-immigration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) party saw substantial gains in both elections.
Merz described the outcome as a "disaster" but rejected calls for a retreat from his reform plans. He emphasized that Germany's current economic and political challenges necessitate, rather than negate, difficult and potentially unpopular reforms. "What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness, and patience," Merz stated, pledging to embody these qualities as the CDU chairman and as Chancellor.
In the Berlin state election, projections showed the CDU securing second place with 19.1%, trailing the Left Party, which received 25.3%. The AfD also performed strongly, achieving 37.9% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and 16.2% in Berlin, though not enough to form a regional government on its own.
The AfD's national co-leader, Alice Weidel, proclaimed that the party had "displaced the CDU as the people's party." In response, Merz alluded to the AfD, stating that his government's reforms would serve as an "antidote to the poison of authoritarianism."
The government's reform package includes proposed cuts to income tax for low- and middle-income families, an overhaul of the pension system, and measures to reduce bureaucratic red tape.
Merz, who assumed leadership 16 months ago with a promise to revitalize Germany's stagnant economy, has struggled to improve national sentiment and his popularity has waned. The AfD's strong performance, particularly in Saxony-Anhalt where it had a chance to form the first far-right regional government since WWII, has further weakened his national standing. Recent weeks have seen internal party discussions about his leadership, though no top allies have publicly called for his resignation.
Philipp Amthor, a prominent CDU figure, attributed some of the campaign's difficulties to "the difficult personnel discussions" of recent weeks, seemingly referencing the speculation surrounding Merz's position.
