German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to remain in office following disappointing exit poll results from state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which indicate substantial gains for right-wing opponents and sharp declines for his Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Speaking at the party headquarters in Berlin shortly after the polls closed at 18:00 local time, Merz addressed the projections as “a disaster.” In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the CDU appears set to barely clear the threshold for parliamentary representation, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to secure the largest share of votes. According to public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD could capture 38% of the vote in the northeastern state, though other parties have ruled out coalition cooperation with them.
In the capital, the CDU faced another setback, with exit polls suggesting they would finish behind Die Linke (The Left). The broadcaster estimated the ruling party would receive only 20% of the vote compared to Die Linke’s near 26%.
These results follow a turbulent period for Merz, whose approval ratings have suffered. Just two weeks prior, the CDU suffered a major defeat in Saxony-Anhalt, where their vote share was halved and the AfD secured a historic victory.
The election outcomes have intensified speculation regarding Merz’s tenure. Earlier this week, leaders of eight German states publicly backed the chancellor, who has held office for 16 months, amid rumors of a potential mid-term replacement known as a “chancellor swap.” However, final results for both states are expected in the coming hours as official counts continue.
I’m shocked Die Linke is beating the CDU in Berlin. That signals a major shift in voter sentiment we can’t ignore.
Staying on after such crushing defeats shows real backbone, but the odds of forming a stable coalition now seem incredibly slim.