Germany’s Merz ‘shocked’ as far-right AfD wins state election

Friedrich Merz says he is “deeply shocked,” but he has no intention of stepping aside after the far-right Alternative for Germany came close to winning an outright majority in Saxony-Anhalt.

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deeply shocked

The AfD’s landslide in Sunday’s regional election represents the most serious defeat for Merz’s Christian Democratic Union in years, he said. The party’s regional branch is classified as a proven right-wing extremist group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.

Merz nevertheless insisted that “giving up is not an option for me.” He said Germany needs fundamental reforms to revive Europe’s largest economy, including potentially painful changes to its pension system. His governing coalition of the Union bloc and the center-left Social Democrats has become deeply unpopular amid internal disputes and frustration over the country’s sluggish economic performance.

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giving up is not an option for me

The election result also comes as Germany faces pressure from Russia’s war against Ukraine, an alleged sabotage campaign targeting NATO countries and difficult dealings with U.S. President Donald Trump. Merz sought to reassure Germany’s allies that “our institutions are resilient and stable” and that the country would adhere to its values and constitution.

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our institutions are resilient and stable

He also reaffirmed Germany’s support for Ukraine, saying he would not “budge one millimeter from my fundamental conviction that we must defend our freedom against Russia now.” Germany’s major parties have maintained a political firewall against cooperation with the AfD. Unlike many other European countries, Germany has not yet had a far-right or right-wing populist party lead a national, state or major-city government.

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We know that Germany carries special responsibility because of its history