German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has described the defeat of his party, the Christian Democrats (CDU), in the state elections as catastrophic, yet remains determined to stay in office, reports the BBC.
In the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the CDU failed to reach the 5% threshold required to enter the local parliament, performing even worse than predicted. The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured the most votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; however, it is unlikely to form a local government, as other parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD. Meanwhile, in the Berlin elections, the left-wing party Die Linke was poised to defeat the CDU.
Merz’s popularity has been declining for months, and pressure on him is mounting. Rumors have circulated that the Chancellor could be replaced mid-term. When asked how long Merz might remain in office, Alice Weidel, one of the AfD leaders, replied that he would leave quite soon. The elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania took place two weeks after the CDU suffered a blow in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD won a decisive victory.
Referring to comments he made following the defeat in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz told reporters at the party’s Berlin headquarters on September 20 that he would continue working to advance his coalition government’s plans for economic, tax, and welfare reforms. He insisted that the reforms would be implemented and that he was assuming this responsibility because he wanted to move the country forward. Merz stated that the task ahead required a strong backbone, resilience, and patience—qualities he intended to demonstrate both as party chairman and as German Chancellor. These reforms, he suggested, could be described as an antidote to the authoritarian poison seeping ever deeper into German society.
Meanwhile,
Weidel emphasized that the AfD is currently a major force
and that the party has reached a significant segment of the population.
Some AfD branches have been classified as right-wing extremist organizations, a designation the party rejects. The AfD’s anti-immigration, “Germany First,” and Russia-friendly stance has found a receptive audience in the country’s east, a region once within the communist sphere of influence.
Merz has long been a fixture at the highest levels of German politics and is unlikely to give up without a fight. However, prior to the elections, there was speculation that Merz might be replaced if the party’s fortunes did not improve. Burkard Dregger, a CDU representative in Berlin, told the BBC on the 20th of September that Merz must remain in office—there is still much work to be done, and time cannot be wasted while forming a new national government. Dregger described the electorate as impatient, adding that it is unrealistic to expect all problems to be solved within a year. The politician emphasized that Merz has a four-year term and should be allowed to work through it.
Although Merz’s supporters have pointed out that he “inherited” many of the country’s problems, polls show the Chancellor is deeply unpopular. His efforts to win over right-wing voters by addressing migration issues have failed to yield results, while simultaneously alienating voters on the left of the political spectrum.
Read also: Saxony-Anhalt election: blow to Merz, warning to Europe