Merz’s eastern nightmare is far from over

Key Points:

• Friedrich Merz faces a critical challenge as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) aims to install the country's first far-right state premier since World War II in Saxony-Anhalt during a December vote.
• Concerns have arisen within Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) that some regional conservatives may support the AfD candidate, risking deep divisions and weakening the chancellor’s coalition government.
• In response, Saxony-Anhalt CDU leader Sven Schulze proposed having party lawmakers abstain from voting in the first two secret ballots to avoid aiding the AfD, though the party’s stance for a potential third round remains uncertain.
• The AfD’s strategy to exploit CDU divisions appears effective, while national conservatives condemn any cooperation with the far right as unacceptable and a threat to the party’s unity.
• The unfolding situation complicates Merz’s efforts to recover from recent electoral setbacks and focus on key policy goals amid growing criticism from opposition parties linking CDU actions to historical parallels with the Nazis.