Friedrich Merz says he is shocked after election defeat

Friedrich Merz said he was “deeply shocked” after his center-right CDU suffered a major defeat to the far-right AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, a former communist state in eastern Germany. The chancellor nevertheless insisted that his determination to pursue reforms had not weakened.

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My determination to continue the reforms remains unbroken.

Merz said he would seek to explain his government’s measures more effectively. Asked about his personal responsibility for the poor result and whether he still had his party’s support, he said he remained committed to the political goals set by his government and knew that he retained backing within the CDU.

“Everyone knows that we have to make greater efforts to win back people’s trust. That also applies to me as chancellor. The main responsibility lies with me,” Merz said. He added that he would not try to avoid that responsibility.

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Everyone knows that we have to make greater efforts to win back people’s trust. That also applies to me as chancellor. The main responsibility lies with me.

The chancellor also hinted that foreign powers might have sought to influence the election. “Two thousand five hundred kilometres east of here, some people are particularly pleased with these election results. That is hardly surprising, given who tried to influence the outcome and how. In this respect, we know very well what we are dealing with,” he said, without identifying a specific country.

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Two thousand five hundred kilometres east of here, some people are particularly pleased with these election results. That is hardly surprising, given who tried to influence the outcome and how. In this respect, we know very well what we are dealing with.

Kiril Dmitriev described the AfD’s result on X as a historic victory and called it a humiliation for what he characterized as Germany’s discredited governing coalition. He said Merz had just become Keir Starmer, referring to the former British prime minister, who was forced to leave office in the summer. The AfD has repeatedly called for Russian gas supplies to resume and for sanctions against Moscow to end, while rejecting arms deliveries to Ukraine, which Russia attacked.

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The historic AfD victory is a humiliation for the arrogance, limitations, warmongering, incompetence and hypocrisy of Germany’s discredited governing coalition. The Germans have spoken, and Germany has awakened. Humiliated Friedrich Merz has just become Starmer.