What's next for Germany's chancellor after a string of state election defeats

BERLIN -- Friedrich Merz says he intends to stay on as the leader of Germany and his party after a string of state election defeats. But it's unclear how much room for maneuver the chancellor still has, only 16 months after he took office.The 70-year-old sought within minutes of polls closing Sunday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin to shore up his position in his center-right Christian Democratic Union. He made a highly unusual election evening appearance to insist that he would press ahead with reforms meant to get the sluggish economy moving. “What has to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness and patience,” Merz said. “I will demonstrate that as the CDU party leader and above all as chancellor of our country.”The big question is whether the CDU will support him in that, and for how long.The party's eight state governors publicly backed him before Sunday's two elections. But Merz's statement on Sunday itself underlined the erosion of his authority in recent weeks, and it remains to be seen whether support from powerful regional leaders and lawmakers will hold.Merz has one advantage: there's no single obvious successor waiting in the wings. Potential options who h...