Eight CDU State Leaders Rally Behind Chancellor Merz Ahead of Key Elections
Germany's eight CDU state premiers publicly supported Chancellor Christian Dieter Merz as the party faces low approval ratings and a surge by the far-right AfD ahead of state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
Eight state premiers from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) issued a joint statement saying that restoring trust in the party requires "listening and taking political action, not debates over personnel" and emphasizing the need for stability in Germany's political landscape. The leaders of Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia called for a stable and effective federal government with its own majority in the Bundestag.
The endorsement comes as Chancellor Christian Dieter Merz, who has led the CDU for 16 months, confronts poor approval ratings and a strong showing by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which captured 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt while the CDU fell to 17.2%. The AfD’s performance marks the first time since World War II that a far-right party has approached control of a German state.
Merz responded to the Saxony-Anhalt loss by condemning the AfD as a "destructive force" and accusing its migration policy of an "ethnic cleansing" of skilled workers. The AfD announced it would file a defamation complaint over those remarks.
The upcoming state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania on Sunday are seen as a crucial test for Merz’s leadership. While polls suggest a tighter race in Berlin, the AfD is projected to lead in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania but remain short of a majority. Analysts note that a loss in Berlin combined with limited representation in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania would be a worst-case scenario for the chancellor.
Despite speculation about a possible "Chancellor swap" and discussion of alternative successors such as Bavarian CSU leader Markus Söder, North Rhine-Westphalia premier Hendrik Wüst, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, no CDU figure has publicly challenged Merz. Party officials are scheduled to meet on Sunday to coordinate the response to the election results.
"Now more than ever, Germany's political landscape needs stability," the eight premiers wrote.
"Our country will continue to need a stable and effective federal government with its own majority in the Bundestag," they added.
Merz, who previously secured support for a €500 billion defence infrastructure fund, has faced criticism for his communication style and low personal popularity, with a recent poll showing only 14% of respondents consider him suitable for the role.