German Chancellor Merz Vows to Continue Despite Election Losses

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to remain in his position despite projections indicating substantial defeats for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in two crucial state elections held on Sunday. The outcomes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin have intensified pressure on Merz, who has faced declining approval ratings and internal speculation about a potential leadership change.

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, exit polls suggest the CDU will narrowly secure a place in the state parliament, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on track to win the most votes. Merz described the projected result as "a disaster."

Similarly, in Berlin, the CDU was expected to trail behind Die Linke (The Left), which preliminary results indicated would receive a larger share of the vote. According to public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD was projected to capture 38% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, although its ability to govern is limited by other parties' refusal to form coalitions with it. In Berlin, the CDU was forecast to secure 20% of the vote, falling behind Die Linke's nearly 26%.

These elections follow a recent significant setback for the CDU, which saw its vote share halved in Saxony-Anhalt just two weeks prior, with the AfD achieving a major victory in that state. The latest results from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, where polls closed at 18:00 local time (17:00 BST), are expected to be finalized in the coming hours.

Prior to Sunday's votes, there had been considerable discussion within Germany regarding Merz's leadership, with his political standing facing challenges. Despite this, leaders from eight German states publicly backed Merz earlier this week, who has been in office for 16 months.