Merz vows coalition stability after state election defeat

German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz on Monday called his party's state election defeat in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern a "heavy blow," while ruling out any internal leadership challenge.

German Chancellor and leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz leaves at the end of a press conference one day after state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, at the CDU's headquarters in Berlin on September 21, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz admitted that the CDU failed to provide satisfactory answers to public concerns.

However, he dismissed allegations of an internal rebellion, stressing that there had been "no personnel debate" regarding his leadership.

On Sunday, the CDU secured only 4.9 percent of the vote in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern election, failing to enter the state parliament for the first time. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the state election with 38.2 percent of the vote, followed by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) with 35.5 percent.

Noting the center-left SPD's intention to stick with the coalition in Berlin, Merz said his party also fully supported the federal governing coalition.

The two parties would discuss the path forward for their cooperation, Merz said, adding that he would also hold talks with federal state leaders in the near future.

Also on Sunday, Germany's Left Party led the state election in Berlin with 25.7 percent of the vote, followed by the incumbent CDU and the AfD. The far-right AfD surged from 9.1 percent in the 2023 election to 16.3 percent, snapping the party's best result ever in the capital.

German news program Tagesschau said on its website that the decisive factor behind the CDU's defeat in Berlin likely lies at the federal level, noting widespread disappointment in all regional elections this year and the willingness among voters to teach the federal government a lesson.

"We stand by this coalition, but the way things have been running over the past few months cannot continue," said SPD Co-Leader Lars Klingbeil on Monday.

Klingbeil stressed that the federal coalition must swiftly reach solutions on pressing issues, including pension reform.