Chancellor Merz Faces Unrest

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU suffered major regional defeats in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where it fell below the 5% threshold and lost all seats for the first time in postwar history. The far-right Alternative for Germany won Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with about 38% of the vote, while the left-wing Die Linke won Berlin. The results intensified pressure on Merz 16 months into his chancellorship, with his CDU-SPD coalition holding only a 12-seat Bundestag majority. Merz rejected resignation talk, called the result a “disaster,” and said his government would keep pursuing economic reforms. The SPD is expected to help form a state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while Berlin talks could still include the CDU.