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Chancellor vows to stay on for Germany’s ‘democratic future’ after latest loss to far-right AfD
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing mounting pressure after his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered significant defeats in recent state elections, including being ousted from the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania parliament for the first time.
- The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 38%, marking a strong gain for the party and prompting predictions from AfD leaders that Merz’s chancellorship may end soon.
- Merz insists on continuing his government’s unpopular reform agenda, emphasizing the importance of political stability for Germany’s democratic future despite the electoral setbacks and calls for his resignation.
- The SPD, Merz’s coalition partner, remains supportive but calls for adjustments to the reform plans to better reflect voter concerns, stressing the need for fairness and broader public backing.
- The Kremlin linked the AfD’s success to Germany’s refusal to buy Russian gas, suggesting economic hardship from rising energy prices contributed to voter dissatisfaction.
