German Chancellor Merz's CDU Falls Below 5 Percent Threshold in State Election for First Time in 77-Year Postwar History, Merz Vows to Press Ahead With Reforms Despite Far-Right AfD Victory

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union scored 4.9 percent in the September 20, 2026 state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, falling below the 5 percent threshold required to win seats in the state legislature for the first time in the party's postwar history. The far-right Alternative for Germany won the election with 38.2 percent, while the Social Democrats came second with 35.5 percent. Merz acknowledged the result as a disaster but vowed to stay on as chancellor and press ahead with potentially painful reforms to Europe's biggest economy. In a separate state election in Berlin on the same day, the CDU came second with 20 percent, behind the Left party at 24.5 percent. The 70-year-old Merz became Germany's leader 16 months ago with promises to turn around an economy that has barely grown in years, but has failed to lift a sullen national mood and has himself become deeply unpopular. His authority was already damaged by the CDU's stinging defeat to AfD in the September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt. The anti-migration, Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany party made significant gains Sunday. Merz argued that Germany's economic and political problems made difficult and potentially unpopular reforms more urgent, not less so, and rejected any retreat from his government's reform agenda. AfD leader Alice Weidel said Friedrich Merz is the wrong chancellor for the CDU and he is dragging the party down with him. Merz was scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly in New York but instead remained at CDU headquarters in Berlin to address the crisis. He will try to convince party leaders to stick with him at a Monday morning meeting.