Merz's CDU collapses in German regional elections 'disaster'
Germany’s governing CDU suffered its worst result in 80 years in regional elections Sunday.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has labeled Germany's governing CDU's performance in recent regional elections as a "disaster," noting that the party suffered its worst result in 80 years. The elections saw a surge in support for both the far left and far right, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party expanding on its strong recent performance.
Analysts suggest this could portend far-right victories in upcoming European elections. The surge in far-right support is attributed to the movement of ruling parties towards the right on immigration issues, as seen in Denmark's Social Democrats and Sweden's center-left parties, who have adopted stricter migration rules in response to the rise of far-right sentiment.
In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced a ban on face coverings in schools, a move that reflects the growing nativist sentiment in the country.
Brief written by urgent.news from Semafor's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
