Key facts
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the state election results a 'disaster' for his CDU party.
- The AfD won the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 38.2% of the vote.
- The CDU received 4.9% of votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, potentially falling below the 5% threshold to enter parliament.
- The far-left Linke party led in the Berlin election with 16.1% of the vote.
- Merz vowed to remain chancellor and party chair to continue his reform agenda.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the results of two state elections as a 'disaster' for his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, but vowed to remain in office and continue with economic reforms. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a significant surge, winning the election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 38.2% of the vote, according to exit polls. The Social Democrats (SPD) received 35.4% in the state.
In the capital, Berlin, the far-left Linke party was on course to win with 16.1% of the vote, while the AfD also secured 16.1% for third place. Merz's CDU faced considerable setbacks in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, receiving just 4.9% of votes, threatening to fall below the 5% threshold needed to enter the state parliament. This result marked the party's worst showing since 1949.
Merz acknowledged that his party lacked 'tailwinds from Berlin' but insisted on staying as chancellor and party chair to implement reforms. The AfD's platform includes calls for cutting assistance to Ukraine and resuming economic cooperation with Russia. AfD co-leader Ulrich Siegmund has pledged to cut support for Ukrainian refugees and revitalize educational ties with Russia.
Despite the losses, Merz said he would not resign and would continue to push his agenda, stating that reforms are the 'antidote to the poison of authoritarianism.'