AfD surges in German state elections as Merz faces pressure after exit polls
Exit polls from Sunday's state elections in Germany have strengthened the far-right Alternative for Germany, with the party projected to win 37% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and to make gains in Berlin. The results, if confirmed, would mark a major setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union, which is facing what would be its worst state-election result since 1949. Merz described the outcome as a "disaster" and said he would continue as chancellor despite speculation that the poor showing could force him to resign.The latest figures also underline the scale of the AfD's advance in eastern Germany and... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Sep 2026 20:32 LONDON
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Merz vows to stay on after CDU losses deepen in German state elections
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will remain in office after his centre-right Christian Democratic Union suffered heavy losses in two state elections. Preliminary results pointed to a difficult night for the governing party, with the far-right Alternative for Germany leading in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the left-wing Die Linke on course to win in Berlin. Merz described the CDU result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a disaster and said he would continue to push his reform agenda.In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the CDU was reported to have cleared the 5% threshold to enter the state parliament by only a narrow margin, marking... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Sep 2026 20:01 LONDON
Germany's Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania vote deepens pressure on Merz after far-right gains
German voters have gone to the polls in two state elections that are expected to intensify pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin come less than two weeks after the far-right Alternative for Germany made a strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt, sharpening scrutiny of the federal political mood. Polls were due to close at 6pm local time, with the first exit polls expected soon after.The elections are being watched closely because they follow the AfD's near-majority result in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, which has unsettled Germany's mainstream parties and revived debate over the so-called firewall strategy.... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Sep 2026 13:33 LONDON
