Merz’s election nightmare continues

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing increased pressure after his centre-right CDU party suffered two significant regional election defeats. The party lost in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state and Berlin, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and far-left Die Linke party achieving strong results. According to Channel News Asia, Merz has seen his approval ratings plummet and his party has suffered a string of regional election losses.

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD came first, while the centre-left SPD party looks set to continue governing the state by forming a coalition with left-wing allies. The CDU dropped below five percent in the state, meaning it got kicked out of parliament altogether, a result Merz admitted was a "disaster". In Berlin, the far-left Die Linke party easily defeated the ruling CDU.

Merz addressed the nation on TV, vowing to stay the course despite the defeats. He stated that reforms are necessary and that he will demonstrate "backbone, steadfastness and patience" as CDU party chairman and chancellor. The election results have raised questions about Merz's leadership and the implications for Europe, with Politico EU noting that a weaker Germany could have significant consequences.

Brief written by urgent.news from Politico EU, Channel News Asia, The Korea Times, Malay Mail — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.