German chancellor stands his ground after his party loses in state elections

Supporters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), German Chancellor Friedrich Merz appears on a screen in a TV studio following the closure of polling stations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state elections on September 20, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. Michele Tantussi/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Michele Tantussi/Getty Images BERLIN — Last night, Friedrich Merz should have been on his way to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Instead he was at his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party's headquarters in Berlin from where he broke the stunned silence as exit polls for two state elections showed its worst result since World War II. State elections for parliament seats, which in turn elect a government and a governor, were held in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and in the city of Berlin. In both places, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made significant gains since the last state elections in 2021 and 2023, receiving 38.2% in the rural northeastern state and 16.3 % in the capital. In Berlin, the far-left Die Linke came in first with 25.7% of the vote, seven percentage points ahead of the CDU. Receiving just 4.9% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Wes...