Friedrich Merz Refuses to Resign Despite Election Setbacks in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to remain in office despite exit polls indicating severe losses for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in local elections held in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Merz publicly described the result in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as "a disaster" for his party.

The Sunday elections followed a setback two weeks prior in Saxony-Anhalt, where the CDU saw its vote share halved as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured a major victory. The recent developments have intensified political pressure on Merz, who faces low approval ratings alongside rumors of a potential mid-term replacement.

ELECTION RESULTS AND Exit POLL PROJECTIONS

Polls closed at 18:00 local time, with final results expected overnight or on Monday morning. According to exit polls released by public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD is projected to place first in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with 38% of the vote, marking the first time the party has secured the largest vote share in the state. The centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) followed in second with 36%, while the CDU projected at 5%, barely reaching the threshold to enter the state parliament. Despite its lead, the AfD is unlikely to form a state government as other political parties refuse to enter into coalitions with it.

In Berlin, projections placed Die Linke (The Left) in first place with nearly 26% of the vote, representing the first time the party has led polls in the capital. The ruling CDU recorded 20%, while the AfD was projected to increase its vote share in Berlin to 16%.

CHANCELLOR REAFFIRMS REFORM AGENDA

Speaking from the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, Merz, who has served as chancellor for 16 months, declared his intention to push forward with his coalition government's planned economic, tax, and welfare reforms. He stated that the planned changes require "backbone, steadfastness and patience," calling the reform package an "antidote to the authoritarian poison" affecting society.

Support for Merz remains divided. Earlier in the week, leaders from eight German states voiced backing for the chancellor. Burkard Dregger, a CDU member of the Berlin Senate, affirmed that Merz should remain in power to fulfill his four-year term, noting that voters are impatient and that complex national issues cannot be resolved within a single year. However, critics highlight that Merz's rightward political shifts on key issues, such as immigration, have not diminished support for the AfD while simultaneously alienating left-leaning voters.