Germany's Merz under pressure after CDU suffers heavy election defeat

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet with senior members of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to discuss the party’s crushing defeat by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a state election in the former communist east, France 24 reports.

The AfD secured its strongest electoral result to date on September 6, winning 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, compared with around 18% for the centre-right CDU, according to projections by German broadcasters.

The result dealt another blow to Merz, whose approval ratings have fallen sharply in recent months. He watched the results at CDU headquarters in Berlin but did not make a public statement.

The CDU’s state premier and lead candidate, Sven Schulze, appeared visibly disappointed and acknowledged that national government policies had complicated his campaign.

“We often faced headwinds, and that wasn't always easy,” Schulze said.

The AfD’s victory brings the party within striking distance of forming its first-ever state government. However, projections showed it fell three seats short of the 42-seat threshold required for an absolute majority in the regional parliament, potentially triggering lengthy negotiations over the formation of a new government.

The result has sent shock waves across Germany, where extremist parties have largely remained outside government since World War II.

“For the first time since the end of World War II, the AfD -- a party whose state branch is classified as right-wing extremist -- is close to securing an absolute majority,” said Daniel Guenther, the CDU premier of Schleswig-Holstein. “This is a shocking moment for our country.”

AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund, 35, celebrated the result, saying his party had “made history” and that voters had sent “a signal to Berlin.” He added that every day with Merz in the chancellery was “one day too many.”

The outcome also triggered criticism within the CDU. Dennis Radtke, chairman of the party’s employee wing, described the vote as a “watershed moment,” while warning that “the usual platitudes about a 'bitter evening' and the need for analysis won't cut it”.

Political scientist Oliver Lembcke called the result “more than a severe electoral defeat for the CDU,” saying, “We are witnessing a tectonic shift in the party system.”

The AfD’s rise presents Merz with a growing challenge as he seeks to restore the CDU’s conservative credentials while preventing further gains by the far right.

By Vafa Guliyeva