Merz vows to continue reforms after projected CDU losses
Preliminary election results have dealt Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU setbacks in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to continue his reform agenda after his Christian Democratic Union suffered projected losses in two regional elections.
Exit polls put the left-wing Die Linke ahead of the CDU in Berlin, while the far-right Alternative for Germany was projected to finish narrowly ahead of the Social Democrats in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Merz described the CDU’s performance as a “disaster”, but said he would push on with his reforms. The results represent a setback for the Chancellor about 16 months into his time in office.
The elections had been treated as a test of Merz’s leadership and the standing of his centre-right government. The reported standings remain preliminary, with final results not yet available.
France 24 International reported that Merz had vowed to remain in office and continue pursuing his reform agenda despite the projected losses.
