Key facts
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged a party reset after a significant election defeat.
- The far-right AfD won 38% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
- Merz's CDU suffered its worst-ever postwar result in the state, crashing out of parliament.
- Merz admitted the CDU lacks satisfactory answers to many questions.
- Merz vowed to hold discussions with party leadership and state premiers to unite the CDU.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to overhaul his party's platform and decision-making processes on Monday, admitting that the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) lacks satisfactory answers to many pressing questions. The commitment comes after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured a decisive victory in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, achieving around 38% of the vote.
The CDU suffered its worst-ever result in postwar Germany in the state election, crashing out of the state parliament entirely. Merz described the outcome as a "dramatic and unprecedented result" that would have repercussions for the party for a long time.
Despite the significant defeat, Merz is currently clinging to power. A leadership change risks triggering a snap election at a time when polls indicate the far-right is the country's most popular party. Merz announced "intensive deliberations" with his party's leadership and state premiers to unite the CDU and redefine its public image and platform, aiming to remain a "people's party."