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Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has vowed to press ahead with controversial reforms, but resistance is mounting within his coalition partner, the SPD. How much dissent can a governing coalition tolerate?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CDU representatives held a press conference on Monday, September 21, after the party suffered its worst regional election defeat in postwar Germany. Merz called the result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a “disaster”, as the CDU fell below the 5% threshold for entering the state parliament. Helmut Schmidt fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US, Markus Ziener, shares further details.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CDU representatives held a press conference on Monday, September 21, after the party suffered its worst regional election defeat in postwar Germany. Merz called the result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a “disaster”, as the CDU fell below the 5% threshold for entering the state parliament. According to FRANCE 24 Europe editor Armen Georgian, Merz and his party’s Berlin candidate, Stefan Evers, offered no concrete solutions to address the historic defeat, despite pledging to keep the coalition together in the name of a “democratic future.”
Another electoral setback for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his centre-right CDU performed poorly in two state elections on Sunday. Projections showed the party failing to enter the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the far-right AfD came out on top, while the far-left Die Linke led the vote in Berlin. The AfD also made significant gains in both states, building on its recent victory in Saxony-Anhalt. France 24 Europe editor Armen Georgian shares further insights.
Another electoral setback for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his centre-right CDU performed poorly in two state elections on Sunday. Projections showed the party failing to enter the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the far-right AfD came out on top, while the far-left Die Linke led the vote in Berlin. The AfD also made significant gains in both states, building on its recent victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Nick Rushworth reports.
The far-right AfD has come first in the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with Chancellor Merz's CDU failing to enter parliament. Meanwhile the Left Party took first place in Berlin. DW has more.
The far-right AfD has come first in the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with Chancellor Merz's CDU failing to enter parliament. Meanwhile the Left Party took first place in Berlin. DW has more.
Elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have dealt the CDU a historic defeat while the AfD saw a massive gain. The pressure on Germany's unpopular chancellor is mounting.
Despite making significant gains in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right AfD remains without options to form a state government.
Germans headed to the polls today in two state elections - in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Exit polls suggest a dramatic loss for the Chancellor Freidrich Mertz's Christian Democratic Union party. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Berlin, Jörg Taszman.
Exit polls show damaging losses for Merz's centre-right CDU party in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin.
Exit polls have the far-right AfD leading the Social Democrats in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Left Party ahead in Berlin. Merz referred to the outcome as "a disaster". DW has more.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday described his CDU party's heavy losses in two regional elections as a "disaster", but vowed to push ahead with a reform drive. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party took first place in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, exit polls showed, and also gained in strength in another election in Berlin.
Two German states are heading to the polls today – in Berlin and the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The far-right AfD party is expected to make further gains after securing a historic win in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago, though it has no realistic path to power in Berlin. Sunday's vote is a key test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one that could determine whether he can hold on to power. Details with Jamie Smith-Maillet, FRANCE 24 international affairs editor.
Elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are expected to bring gains for the far-right AfD party and could determine whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz can hold on to power. Follow DW live.
Polling is underway in the German capital Berlin and the largely rural state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for regional elections. Both elections are seen as a test for Germany's centre-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He has already scheduled a crisis meeting and decided to skip this week's UN General Assembly to deal with the potential fallout. Could he be forced to step down based on the election’s results? Details and analysis by Yann Wernert, senior policy fellow at the Jacques Delors Centre in Berlin.
Two weeks after the far-right AfD won its first major regional election in Germany, two more eastern states vote this Sunday. Polls have just opened in the capital, Berlin, and the largely rural state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Berlin, Jörg Taszman.
Voting in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is expected to bring gains for the far-right AfD party and could determine whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz can hold on to power. Follow DW live.
About 3.8 million people in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are eligible to vote on Sunday.
Germany is gearing up for two more pivotal state elections on Sunday: in the capital Berlin and in the largely rural region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. All eyes are on the far-right AfD, which after recording its best ever result in the recent Saxony-Anhalt elections, is hoping to once again make sweeping gains. The anti-immigration party's surging popularity is proving challenging for Chancellor Friedrich Merz and both elections are expected to further test his leadership. Story by Eliza Herbert.
