“The party came first in the small eastern German state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and a good third in Berlin, while the Christian Democratic Union of Chancellor Friedrich Merz did poorly, in what he himself called “a disaster.””

The Fuel That Feeds Europe’s Far Right: Nostalgia and Lost Pride

“Friedrich Merz called it a “disaster”, and that was even before the full scale of the catastrophe for himself and his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came into view after Sunday’s state elections.”

Latest German election humiliation puts Merz on borrowed time as CDU unrest grows

“It was, Merz said, a “dramatic” outcome with long-lasting repercussions for his party.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces party revolt after election defeats

“Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the target of much anger and desperation, is under fire. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, his party didn’t even make it into Parliament. On Sunday, minutes after the first projections had been published, he took the stage in a bold move and declared his determination to stay in power and move on. Will his party let him? That is still unclear. For now, it is simply in turmoil.”

Germans Are in Shock. But We Can Get Out of This Mess.