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German Chancellor Calls State Election Defeat His Worst in Decades as Far Right Scores Landslide

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The far-right Alternative for Germany won 43.8% and 39 of 83 seats in Saxony-Anhalt, its strongest result in the state, while Merz’s Christian Democrats fell to 17.2% and 15 seats.
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the result the CDU’s most serious defeat in years or decades, but rejected calls to resign.
  • AfD gains in upcoming elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could further challenge Merz’s policy of ruling out cooperation with the party.

The Alternative for Germany has come closer than ever to taking control of a German state after winning a record 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt. The party won 39 of the state parliament’s 83 seats, leaving it three seats short of a single-party majority but within reach of power through alliances.

The result delivered a heavy blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union. The CDU received 17.2% of the vote, reducing its representation from 40 seats to 15. Speaking a day after the election, Merz described the outcome as “the most serious electoral defeat the CDU has suffered in years, decades” and said he was deeply shocked.

The most serious electoral defeat the CDU has suffered in years, decades.

· Friedrich MerzThe German chancellor described his party’s result in Saxony-Anhalt.

The result has been linked to Merz’s weak approval ratings and voter dissatisfaction with the federal government. An INSA poll put satisfaction with his performance at 18%, and a survey ranking 20 leading politicians placed him last. His campaign involvement also drew criticism. Merz visited Saxony-Anhalt only twice during the campaign, and both appearances were closed events.

Giving up is not an option.

· Friedrich MerzMerz rejected calls for his resignation after the defeat.

A proposed social reform added to the criticism. The government sought to raise the minimum retirement age for people with more than 45 years of work, a plan opposed by Saxony-Anhalt’s CDU premier, Sven Schulze. Within the CDU, Tim Brandt of the party’s youth wing in Brandenburg called for “a renewal of personnel” and said Merz should leave both the chancellorship and the party leadership. Merz acknowledged that his leadership had affected the result but said, “Giving up is not an option.”

The next test comes in two weeks, when Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania vote on Sept. 20. The AfD is polling at about 18% in Berlin, behind the CDU and the Left, while it has led polls in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for months, reaching about 36% against the governing Social Democrats. Political scientist Thorsten Faas told dpa that the defeat would dominate political debate in the coming days and affect the remaining campaigns.

A renewal of personnel is needed.

· Tim BrandtThe Brandenburg official in the CDU youth wing called for leadership changes.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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