Exit polls released by public broadcaster ARD on Sunday night showed the centre‑right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) receiving just 5% of the vote in Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania, the lowest share the party has ever recorded in any German state since World War II.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a right‑wing, anti‑migration party, surged to 37% in the same state and secured 15.7% of the vote in Berlin, according to the same exit poll data, though it fell short of the numbers needed to form a regional government.
In Berlin, the CDU was projected to finish second with about 20% of the vote, behind the Left party, which ARD estimated at 24.5%. The results marked a stark contrast to the CDU’s traditional dominance in many western states.
Merz, 70, described the outcome as a “disaster” but rejected any retreat from his policy programme. In a televised statement he said, “What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness, and patience,” and pledged to demonstrate those qualities as both party chairman and chancellor.
The chancellor’s remarks came after a previous setback in Saxony‑Anhalt on Sept. 6, where the CDU suffered a decisive loss to the AfD, further eroding Merz’s authority within his own party and the broader coalition.
AfD national co‑leader Tino Chrupalla responded on ZDF television, criticizing Merz’s resolve as “feeble” and urging the chancellor to take responsibility for the electoral blow.
Merz framed his reform drive as a counterweight to what he called “the poison of authoritarianism” gaining traction in society, positioning his economic and political agenda as an antidote to rising authoritarian sentiment.
Having taken office 16 months ago, Merz has struggled to revive Germany’s stagnant economy and lift a pervasive sense of national malaise, challenges that the latest state‑level defeats have amplified.