German state elections have delivered a double setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) finishing first in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Die Linke emerging as the largest party in Berlin. The results put renewed pressure on Merz’s government after a series of difficult regional contests and expose the changing balance between Germany’s established parties and forces on both the right and left.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD won about 38.2 percent of the vote, narrowly ahead of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which took 35.5 percent. The CDU received just 4.9 percent, falling below the 5 percent threshold required for representation in the state parliament. It was the CDU’s first failure to clear that threshold in a German state election in the postwar period.
The result marks the AfD’s second first-place finish in a state election this month, following its strong performance in Saxony-Anhalt. Its result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania also represents a sharp increase from the 16.7 percent it received in the state’s previous election in 2021. The SPD, which has governed the state under premier Manuela Schwesig, remained close behind despite losing ground compared with its previous result.
For the CDU, the result was particularly damaging because Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is part of Germany’s former eastern states, where the party has faced growing competition from the AfD. Merz called the result a “disaster” for his party but rejected suggestions that he should step aside. He said the federal government would continue with its programme of economic and social reforms, arguing that the changes required persistence rather than a change in direction.
Berlin produced a different political outcome but another setback for the chancellor’s party. Die Linke finished first with 25.7 percent, followed by the CDU with 18.8 percent. The AfD took 16.3 percent, while the Greens received 14.3 percent and the SPD 12.1 percent. The figures came from preliminary results released by Berlin’s election authorities after voters went to the polls on Sunday.
Winning the largest share of votes does not automatically give Die Linke control of Berlin’s government. The party will need to negotiate with other parties to assemble a governing majority, making the coming coalition discussions important to determining how the capital will be governed.
The contrast between the two elections is striking. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD’s result strengthened its position as a major political force in the east. In Berlin, Die Linke benefited from a strong result while the CDU slipped to second place and the SPD recorded one of its weakest performances in the capital. The AfD also made gains in Berlin, although it remained behind both Die Linke and the CDU.
The elections come roughly 16 months after Merz became chancellor and at a difficult point for his coalition government. His administration has been pursuing reforms involving pensions, taxation, healthcare and other parts of the economy while Germany continues to deal with weak economic growth and pressure over household costs. The regional results have therefore become a test not only of individual state governments but also of how voters are responding to the direction of the federal government.
The AfD has built much of its support around issues including migration, energy policy and opposition to German military and financial assistance for Ukraine. Its growing strength at state level has increased attention on whether the party can move from electoral success towards governing power. Other major German parties have continued to reject coalition agreements with the AfD, meaning that finishing first does not necessarily translate into control of a state government.
Germany’s 16 federal states have substantial responsibilities of their own, including areas such as education and policing. Their elections do not determine who governs the country at federal level, but they carry national political consequences. State governments also send representatives to the Bundesrat, Germany’s federal chamber, giving regional election results a role in the wider legislative balance.
For Merz, the immediate challenge is therefore larger than two regional defeats. His CDU has now suffered a particularly severe result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while losing the top position in Berlin to Die Linke. The chancellor has made clear that he intends to remain in office and continue his reform programme. The results show, however, that Germany’s established political parties are facing increasingly strong competition from parties at opposite ends of the political spectrum.
The next stage will be shaped by coalition negotiations in Berlin, the formation of a government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the response of Merz’s CDU to its latest electoral losses. For now, the two elections have produced a clear political message: the traditional balance among Germany’s major parties is under growing strain, and regional elections are increasingly exposing that shift.
