Germany’s Merz girds for a post-election fight for political survival
One conservative official predicts "all hell breaks loose" if the ruling CDU fails to win any seats in the regional election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is preparing for a challenging period ahead after two regional elections in Germany are set to be held on Sunday. Merz is under scrutiny regarding his capacity to stay as the country's leader in the wake of the CDU's poor performance in the recent election in Saxony-Anhalt. The CDU is expected to face another significant loss in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where polls suggest it could receive its worst result in post-World War II German history.
Merz has arranged a meeting with CDU leaders before the polls close on Sunday to gauge their support and attempt to convince them that he has a plan to turn the situation around. He has also canceled a planned speech at the United Nations General Assembly to stay in Berlin and address the domestic fallout from the CDU's performance.
Merz's fate may hinge on a few percentage points shift in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the CDU could drop to just 7% support. If the CDU fails to meet the 5% vote threshold, it could lead to a political crisis and force Merz out of the leadership.
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