Sunday’s elections in two German states produced severe results for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU.
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In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, AfD came first, while the CDU recorded its worst result in the history of state elections, failing to clear the 5% electoral threshold. Meanwhile, in Berlin, victory went to Die Linke, while the CDU suffered a significant decline.
According to preliminary official data for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, AfD secured 38.22% of the vote, followed by the SPD with 35.50%. Die Linke received 6.54%, while the Greens won 5.67%. With 4.89%, the CDU failed to enter the state parliament after falling below the 5% threshold. BSW also ended up outside parliament, receiving around 4.8%.
For the party led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, this defeat is considered particularly serious. Since the establishment of the Federal Republic in 1949, the CDU had never been excluded from a state parliament. Merz described the result as a “catastrophe,” but insisted that his government would continue implementing its reform program.
The vote in Berlin also produced a historic development, with Die Linke rising to first place after winning 25.7% of the second votes. The CDU secured 18.8%, AfD 16.3%, the Greens 14.3% and the SPD just 12.1%. BSW failed to cross the threshold, receiving 4.7%, while the FDP stopped at 2.5%.
The preliminary allocation of seats gives Die Linke 47 seats in the Berlin parliament. The CDU is expected to be represented by 34 lawmakers, AfD by 29, the Greens by 26 and the SPD by 22. As a result, forming the city government will require a new agreement.
The results in both states have revived discussions about Merz’s political future. Following the defeat in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, German media have highlighted the growing pressure on the chancellor and the CDU. ARD interpreted the result as an indication of strong internal pressure on Merz, while other media analyses have raised questions about the course the CDU and the federal government will pursue going forward.
On the other hand, AfD’s lead in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and its result in Berlin demonstrate the party’s further strengthening at the state level. Nevertheless, the main political forces have ruled out cooperation with AfD, limiting its ability to form governments even when it comes first.
For the CDU, the September 20 elections represent one of its most serious electoral setbacks since the founding of the Federal Republic. For Merz, the results have once again brought the debate over the direction of the government and the party into focus. Despite this, the chancellor has said he will continue working and pursuing the coalition’s reforms.
