The day's news: Friedrich Merz, Saxony-Anhalt, the Falkland Islands and Saxony

Friedrich Merz once said he believed his policies could halve the AfD's election result. After the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party won 43.8 percent, the German chancellor appeared deeply shaken at the CDU headquarters in Berlin.

“I naturally ask myself how it could have come to this,” Merz said, while defending his government's reform policies. He acknowledged the defeat and promised to reach people “emotionally” in the future. But the better political narrative he now says he wants to offer remained unclear, according to Spiegel's analysis of his appearance.

The analysis said Merz appeared to combine measured self-criticism with a show of determination. He intends to stay the course on reforms and stressed his agreement with Vice Chancellor and SPD leader, a message that also appeared aimed at keeping the coalition partner disciplined as dissenting voices emerged.

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I naturally ask myself how it could have come to this.

Spiegel said Merz's distress and desire to change were credible, but concluded that his appearance still left observers uncertain. The day's other major developments included renewed tension over the Falkland Islands and the discovery of further explosive devices by police in Saxony.

Argentine President Javier Milei has revived Argentina's claims to the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, after remarks by Donald Trump. In an interview with a British online outlet, Trump indicated that he might not necessarily come to the United Kingdom's aid in a possible conflict over the South Atlantic archipelago. Milei has since reiterated that the islands are Argentine territory. Most of the Falkland Islands' roughly 3,600 residents continue to want to remain associated with Britain, the article said.

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emotionally