Germany’s far right secures another win in key regional election, exit poll says

Germany's far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), secured victory in a regional election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, according to exit polls, marking its second consecutive win in the northeastern state. However, the party may face challenges in forming a government due to a robust showing by the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are projected to finish second with 35.5% of the vote, just behind the AfD.

The exit polls, conducted by the ARD broadcaster, indicate that the AfD secured 37% of the vote, positioning it ahead of the SPD. Nevertheless, the SPD is anticipated to have sufficient support to form a coalition and prevent the AfD from governing the state.

The election outcome is garnering attention as the AfD had previously achieved a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, an eastern state, two weeks prior. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania serves as a vital test for center-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as there are growing speculations that party insiders may attempt to replace him if the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) struggles again in a regional or national election.

The CDU's performance in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was particularly poor, receiving only 5.5% of the vote, the lowest result for the party in any regional or national election since the end of World War II. In response to the exit polls, Merz expressed disappointment, stating, "We can't sugarcoat the results in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It's a disaster. The CDU fought hard, but in the end, it was crushed in the escalating confrontation between the SPD and the AfD."

In Berlin, the Left party (Die Linke) is on track to finish first with 24.5% of the vote, according to the ARD exit poll, ahead of Merz's CDU which is projected to secure 20% of the vote. The CDU currently holds control of the mayor's office in the capital.