Germany: Merz’s Party Hits New Low in Regional Election Disaster

By staff, Agencies

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has described his Christian Democratic Union’s [CDU] performance in Sunday’s state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a “disaster,” after the party suffered its worst-ever result in a state election. The CDU fared better in Berlin, but its result there still appeared to dash its hopes of leading the next government.

The CDU received just 4.9% of the vote, according to the preliminary official result, its worst showing in a state election since the founding of the Federal Republic in 1949. The result leaves the party below the 5% threshold required to enter the regional parliament.

“The result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cannot be talked away. It’s a disaster,” Merz acknowledged during a press conference on Sunday evening. However, he defended his government’s course, insisting that there “cannot be a return to the good old times.”

Merz’s party fared better in Berlin but still trailed the Left, which led with 25.7%. The CDU came second with 18.8%, followed by the AfD at 16.3%.

The results come two weeks after the AfD finished first in Saxony-Anhalt and amid mounting pressure on Merz over the CDU’s declining support. The chancellor called a meeting of the party leadership for Sunday evening to discuss the election results.