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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-state-elections-deal-a-blow-to-chancellor-friedrich-merz\/a-79348585?utm_source=cnn_Global+Briefing&utm_medium=email",
    "parsed_content": "PoliticsGermanyGerman elections deal a blow to Chancellor Friedrich MerzMarcel F\u00fcrstenau09\/20\/2026September 20, 2026Elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have dealt the CDU a historic defeat while the AfD saw a massive gain. The pressure on Germany's unpopular chancellor is mounting.https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5MwBtCopy linkChancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is coming under even greater pressure due to his party's election defeats in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaImage: Michael Kappeler\/dpa\/picture allianceTwo of Germany's 16 federal states, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, have just elected new state legislatures. The results for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) represent yet another major blow in turbulent times both nationally and internationally.\nIn northeastern Germany, projections suggest that the CDU narrowly failed to clear the 5% threshold for representation in parliament, a historic first in the party's history.\nIn the German capital, the party that led\u00a0the state government, lost nearly a third of its support, dropping to around 20%.\nJust minutes after the first projections were released, Merz made a statement: \"We can't sugarcoat the results in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania \u2014 it was a disaster.\" As for the heavy losses in Berlin, he described the outcome there as \"reasonable.\"\nFor the CDU, this marks the third electoral defeat in two weeks. In the state election in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, the party came in far behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified as partially far-right extremist.\nIn the wake of this debacle, Merz, whose term began in 2025, appeared visibly shaken.\nGerman Chancellor Merz vows to push ahead with reformsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video01:56\nAt the federal level, Merz governs in coalition with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which saw mixed results in Sunday's state elections.\nWith around 36% of the vote, SPD state premier Manuela Schwesig \u2014 who has been in office since 2017 \u2014 finished just behind the far-right AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The AfD, on the other hand, nearly doubled its share of the vote compared to state elections in 2021, coming in first at 38%.\nIn Berlin, however, the SPD's share of the vote fell by a third to 12%, while the AfD became the third-largest party, winning\u00a016% of the vote.\u00a0\nMeanwhile, the new frontrunner in the German capital is the socialist Left Party, with about 25%. It too was able to double its share of the vote, just as the AfD did in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. With the support of the SPD and the environmentalist Greens, the socialists \u2014 whom the CDU has labeled radical leftists and antisemites \u2014 would be able to form a coalition.\nBerlin set to\u00a0get a left-wing mayor\nIf this happens, Elif Eralp would be the first person from the Left Party to serve as mayor of Berlin. Leading up to the election, Eralp, the daughter of Turkish exiles, shared her vision in an interview with DW: \"My vision for Berlin is an affordable Berlin where everyone \u2014 regardless of their background, religion, language or income \u2014 can lead a good life in dignity,\" Eralp said.\nIn Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a coalition of SPD, the Left Party and the Greens is the most likely outcome. State Premier Schwesig said she was committed to a \"stable democratic government.\"\nMeanwhile, AfD co-leader\u00a0Alice Weidel once again declared on election night that the CDU's containment strategy of refusing to cooperate with her party had failed. Speaking on the public television network ZDF, she said: \"Our long-term goal, of course, is to hold\u00a0coalition talks with the CDU.\"Alice Weidel: Merz 'can no longer stay in office'To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video00:31\nThe AfD and the Left Party are stronger than the CDU and SPD\nBoth election results reflect widespread dissatisfaction among the population with Chancellor Merz and the coalition he leads with the SPD. In nationwide opinion polls, the governing coalition no longer has a majority. Here, too, the AfD is clearly in the lead, while the SPD is only narrowly ahead of the Left Party.\nParties on the political fringes are now gaining significantly more support at both the federal and state levels than the ruling parties, which are frequently embroiled in arguments on the federal level. These disputes often arise in connection with the reform agenda announced months ago by Chancellor Merz, aimed at bringing the rapidly rising costs of health, long-term care and pension insurance under control.\nDespite yet another election setback, the German chancellor intends to stay the course: \"The reforms must go ahead. Of course, this puts us all in a difficult situation. But we will shoulder this responsibility. I will shoulder this responsibility,\" he said.\nAfter lengthy discussions, the coalition had\u00a0already reached an agreement on health care reforms. Many things, like drugs and dental prosthetics, will become more expensive, while family insurance coverage will also be scaled back. These are all measures that won't win any new support for the already unpopular government. The same goes for the ongoing debate over reforms to the pension system, which is set to be supplemented by increased private retirement savings.\n'I want to move our country forward'\nMerz acknowledged that these changes would bring burdens and new uncertainties for many people. Nevertheless, he remained confident: \"I want to move our country forward. I am also firmly convinced that the success of our reforms will not only improve our society but also boost our self-image and our image in the world.\"\nIn foreign policy as well, Merz \u2014 and with him the federal government \u2014 is coming under increasing pressure as a result of the election results in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The AfD, which is particularly strong in eastern Germany, opposes military support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's\u00a0invasion.\n'What needs to be done now requires backbone, resolve and patience'\nThis complex situation makes things even more difficult for the federal government \u2014 and Merz is well aware of this. Taking stock of the heavy election defeats suffered by his CDU, he said: \"What needs to be done now requires backbone, resolve and patience. I will muster that \u2014 as chairman of the CDU and, above all, as the chancellor of our country.\"\nThis article war originally published in German.\nMarcel F\u00fcrstenau Berlin author and reporter on current politics and society.Send us your feedbackYour feedback",
    "author_name": "Marcel F\u00fcrstenau",
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    "ai_headline": "German elections deal a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz",
    "ai_simplified_title": "German Elections Deal Blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz",
    "ai_excerpt": "Elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania resulted in historic defeats for the CDU and significant gains for the AfD, increasing pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The results reflect widespread dissatisfaction with the current government and its reform agenda.",
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