Germans vote in elections threatening fresh blow to Merz
Summary
Germans voted in two regional elections that could challenge Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s leadership. The far-right party AfD and far-left party Die Linke may gain ground, while Merz’s center-right CDU faces potential significant losses.Key Facts
- Germany held state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on September 20, 2026.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz led the center-right CDU party and has been in office for 16 months.
- The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), aligned with pro-Trump and Moscow-friendly views, performed well in recent regional votes.
- Polls predicted the AfD and the center-left SPD to compete closely in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with the CDU polling low around 6 percent.
- In Berlin, CDU is running a close race against the far-left party Die Linke, popular among young voters and advocating for strong government action on housing.
- CDU risks falling below the 5% threshold in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which would mean no seats in the state parliament, a historic setback.
- Merz’s approval ratings have dropped to historically low levels, near 10-13 percent nationally.
- Merz had to cancel a UN trip and call a crisis meeting with his party due to the election results and their impact.
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