Chancellor Merz Vows to Stay the Course Despite CDU Setbacks and AfD Momentum
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to remain in office and continue his much-needed reform agenda, even as the CDU faces setbacks in state elections and the patriotic Alternative for Germany (AfD) gains ground amid growing public dissatisfaction.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced his determination to remain in office and push forward with his government’s reform program after the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) experienced disappointing results in two state elections on Sunday. Exit polls from public broadcaster ARD showed the CDU receiving only about 5% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, marking its lowest share in any state since World War II, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) made significant gains as voters seek real solutions to Germany’s challenges.
Merz described the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania result as a “disaster,” but emphasized that the outcome only strengthens the need for “backbone, steadfastness and patience” in implementing reforms to address Germany’s mounting economic and political problems. In Berlin, the CDU is projected to finish second with roughly 20% of the vote, behind the Left party at 24.5%, as leftist policies continue to appeal to urban voters while conservatives struggle to make their case.
The CDU’s earlier loss to the AfD in the Saxony-Anhalt election had already raised questions about Merz’s leadership, with some party members privately calling for change. However, no senior officials have publicly demanded his resignation. Merz cancelled a planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, signaling his readiness to face a challenging post-election period and his commitment to completing his term, even as the AfD’s rise reflects the public’s frustration with failed establishment policies.