Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has suffered a historic defeat in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern regional elections in northeastern Germany. According to preliminary final results, the CDU won just 4.9 percent of the vote and failed to qualify for the regional parliament for the first time. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) came first, with about 38 percent.
This marks another serious electoral setback for Merz, following the CDU’s poor performance in Saxony-Anhalt. Despite the result, the chancellor stated he intends to remain in office and continue with the planned reforms.
CDU falls short of 5 percent threshold
The election result in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is especially negative for the CDU.
According to the state’s preliminary results, the AfD secured approximately 38.2 percent of the vote, while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) led by state premier Manuela Schwesig followed closely with about 35.5 percent.
The CDU, with only 4.9 percent, failed to reach the 5 percent threshold required for parliamentary entry.
The Left Party and the Greens also won seats. Sahra Wagenknecht’s Alliance narrowly missed the threshold.
An unprecedented result for the CDU
The CDU has held seats in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern parliament since German reunification.
This is the first time the party has fallen out of the regional legislature.
The outcome is among the weakest in CDU history for a state-level election since World War II.
Aktualizovane.sk had previously warned that the CDU was dangerously close to the 5 percent threshold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and that Merz was facing increasing pressure within the party.
AfD wins, but coalition talks remain complex
The AfD’s strong showing further consolidates its position in northeastern Germany.
However, victory does not automatically entitle the party to form the regional government, as all other parliamentary parties have long refused to enter a coalition with the AfD.
SPD, under Manuela Schwesig, may remain a key player in coalition negotiations despite finishing second.
The outgoing coalition of SPD and The Left has lost its majority, so talks with other parliamentary parties are likely.
Merz calls the result a disaster
After the results were announced, Friedrich Merz acknowledged the extent of the CDU’s failure.
He described the outcome as a “catastrophe,” but emphasized that the government would push on with its proposed reforms.
Pressure on Merz is mounting, as the defeat in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern comes soon after the CDU’s significant loss in Saxony-Anhalt.
However, regional elections do not directly affect the chancellor’s office, which depends on support at the federal level and a majority in the Bundestag.
CDU loses in Berlin as well
Sunday also brought disappointment for the CDU in the German capital.
In Berlin, The Left Party won the election, securing about a quarter of the vote.
The CDU, which previously led the city government, performed significantly worse. As a result, the outgoing CDU-SPD coalition has lost its majority.
Coalition negotiations for a new city government will commence in Berlin as well.
Merz refuses to resign
The chancellor had already stated before the election that his political future would not be linked to results in individual regional votes.
He maintains that his government holds a mandate for the full electoral term and aims to implement reforms in the economy, pensions, taxes, and healthcare.
Nevertheless, these election results are expected to provoke further debate inside the CDU. The party must now grapple not only with a historic setback in the northeast but also with AfD’s growing support in other regions.
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Merz admits responsibility for CDU disaster, but refuses to step down
The results in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern confirm the ongoing transformation of political dynamics in eastern Germany. The AfD is seeing strong support there, while traditional parties are facing increasing voter fragmentation.
For Merz, much will depend on how the CDU leadership and its regional chapters react to this string of electoral failures. While Sunday’s vote did not end his chancellorship, it has significantly intensified the political pressure on his leadership.
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
