German Chancellor Merz calls regional vote a disaster as far-right AfD nears second win
Exit polls show the AfD close to winning in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania while the CDU fell to a historic low, prompting Chancellor Friedrich Merz to reject calls for his resignation and reaffirm his reform agenda.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said a recent regional election was a “disaster” after exit polls indicated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was on track to win in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with about 37% of the vote, narrowly ahead of the Social Democratic Party’s 35.5%. The AfD’s national co-leader Tino Chrupalla described the result as a “sensation.”
The CDU’s share fell to roughly 5.5%, the party’s poorest performance in any post-war regional or national contest. Merz acknowledged the outcome, stating the party was “crushed” amid a growing contest between the SPD and the AfD.
Despite speculation about a possible “Kanzlertausch” – a chancellor swap – Merz rejected any suggestion he would step down. He pledged to continue his reform programme, saying Germany “is capable of reform” and that the measures are needed to counter “the poison of authoritarianism.”
Merz’s agenda includes raising the retirement age, limiting certain health-insurance benefits and tightening rules on sick-leave to stimulate growth. In Berlin, the Left party is projected to lead with 24.5% of the vote, ahead of the CDU’s 20% in the capital’s mayoral race.