Germany's Merz remains defiant after historic state elections defeat

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remained defiant on Sunday, vowing to press ahead with potentially painful reforms to Europe's biggest economy, after suffering a bruising electoral setback in two state elections.Exit polls by public broadcaster ARD indicated that Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, came in with just 5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – the lowest result ever since World War II for the party in any state. Meanwhile, the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party made significant gains.Merz acknowledged that the result was a "disaster" but said he would still move ahead with his government's reform agenda. He argued that Germany's economic and political problems made difficult and potentially unpopular reforms more urgent, not less so, and pledged to press ahead. Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at the Konrad Adenauer House following the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany on Sept. 20, 2026. Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images "What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness, and patience," Merz said in a statement shortly after the exit polls were announced on public t...