Germany's Merz shocked by far-right state election triumph but doubles down on unpopular reforms
BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz doubled down Monday on pushing through unpopular reforms to Europe’s largest economy after a far-right party surged to a landslide victory in a regional election, with a very good chance of forming the first far-right state government since the Nazi era. Merz said his center-right Christian Democratic Union was “deeply shocked” by what he called “the most…
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remains steadfast in pushing through unpopular reforms despite the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's landslide victory in a regional election. The AfD, which is considered a proven right-wing extremist group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, fell just short of a majority in the vote held in Saxony-Anhalt, a small eastern state.
Merz expressed shock at what he termed "the most serious election defeat that the CDU has had for years, for decades," but insisted that "giving up is not an option for me." He stated that Germany will adhere to its values and Russia stance, as the AfD's victory is a significant distraction at a time when Europe faces several challenges.
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