Key facts
- Angela Merkel did not directly mention the recent election results or Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- Merkel spoke at an exhibition opening for former Chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt.
- The AfD won 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt on Sept. 6, while the CDU garnered 17.2%.
- In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD won 38% of the vote on Sunday, with the CDU suffering its worst-ever result.
- Merz called the latest defeats a "disaster" and pledged to overhaul the CDU’s platform.
- A poll found only 13% of voters satisfied with Merz’s work.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday offered a subtle nod to the Christian Democratic Union's recent electoral struggles, emphasizing the party's historical identity as a broad-based "people's party" without directly addressing the defeats or current leader Friedrich Merz. The CDU, led by Merz, is under intense pressure following disastrous results in state elections, including its worst-ever showing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Merkel spoke at the opening of a Bundestag exhibition honoring former Chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt, where she referenced Adenauer's role in shaping the CDU. While the discussion largely focused on art and democracy, the absence of a more direct political commentary was noted given the scale of the party's losses.
On September 6, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its previous result, while Merz's CDU fell to 17.2%. The following Sunday, the AfD won approximately 38% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, significantly outpacing the CDU, which failed to enter the state parliament for the first time. In Berlin, the CDU finished behind the hard-left Die Linke party.
Merz has described the recent outcomes as a "disaster" and pledged to overhaul the CDU's platform, structure, and public image. However, his leadership faces scrutiny, with a recent poll indicating only 13% of voters are satisfied with his performance.