German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered devastating defeats in two state elections held on Sunday, with the party falling below the 5% threshold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—its worst-ever result in that state—and losing to Die Linke (The Left) in Berlin. Despite mounting pressure, poor approval ratings, and speculation about a potential mid-term replacement, Merz declared that he would remain as chancellor and press ahead with economic, tax and welfare reforms, dismissing suggestions that his tenure is in jeopardy.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) performed strongly across both regions, winning 38% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and gaining ground in Berlin with 16%, though other parties refuse to enter coalitions with it. This result follows a major setback for the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt just two weeks prior, where its vote was halved. Merz, who has been chancellor for only 16 months, framed his reforms as an antidote to rising authoritarianism, whilst CDU figures defended his position, arguing that he deserves time to deliver on his agenda before any leadership change should be considered.