Germany’s Merz vows to press ahead with reforms after historic state election defeat

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suffered a bruising electoral setback in two state elections on Sunday, including a historic defeat for his party, but vowed to press ahead with potentially painful reforms to Europe’s biggest economy.

Exit polls by public broadcaster ARD on Sunday night indicated that Merz’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, came in with just 5 per cent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – the lowest result ever since World War II for the party in any state. The anti-migration, Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made significant gains on Sunday.

Merz acknowledged his party’s result as a “disaster” but struck a defiant note, rejecting any retreat from his government’s reform agenda. He argued that Germany’s economic and political problems made difficult and potentially unpopular reforms more urgent, not less, and pledged to press ahead.

“What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness, and patience,” Merz said in a statement soon after the exit polls were announced on public television. “I will demonstrate these qualities as chairman of the CDU and, above all, as Chancellor of our country.”