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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to keep his governing coalition together in the interests of the country’s “democratic future” after his party suffered significant defeats in two state elections.
“We are determined to live up to the historic challenges our country is facing,” Merz said on Monday, referring to the coalition between his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), according to the BBC.
In north-eastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the largest share of the vote, while the CDU failed to clear the threshold required to enter the state parliament. In Berlin, the CDU finished second behind the far-left Die Linke, with the AfD also making substantial gains.
Merz calls result a turning point
Merz described the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern result as “a heavy blow” and “a profound turning point”.
“It is a dramatic, unprecedented result for the CDU in Germany,” he said.
However, the chancellor rejected suggestions that his low approval ratings were the main reason for the election defeats.
“The reasons for these election results go far beyond my own person,” Merz said.
Pressure grows on German chancellor
Merz has faced mounting pressure after months of weak public approval ratings, prompting speculation that he could be replaced before the end of his term in a so-called chancellor swap.
Asked earlier on Monday how long Merz had left in office, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel told the BBC: “Pretty soon, he’s going to leave.”
The two state elections were held on Sunday, two weeks after the CDU’s support was halved in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD recorded a major victory.
