After state elections: Merz wants to stick to reform course

After Significant Losses for CDU, Merz Vows to Stay the Course on Reform Agenda

Immediately after the first projections for Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Chancellor Merz addressed the public. He reaffirmed his intention to push through what he considers necessary reforms as Chancellor.

Following the state parliament election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Berlin House of Representatives election, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) commented on his party's performance. The CDU's result in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in particular was a "disaster" for his party, which he also attributed to a "lack of tailwind from Berlin." The result could not be sugarcoated, he said.

At the same time, the Chancellor and CDU party leader reaffirmed his intention to stay the course. "I want to move our country forward," he said at the Konrad Adenauer House in Berlin. "The reforms must come." There was no way back for Germany. The country needed to be made fit for the future. "What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness and patience," said Merz.

"I will summon all of that as CDU party chairman and above all as Federal Chancellor of our country."

He was firmly convinced that the success of the reforms would "not only improve our life together, but also our self-image and our image in the world." Germany was capable of reform. "I will go even further and say that these reforms are the antidote to the authoritarian poison that is seeping ever deeper into our society with the fascination of authoritarianism," said Merz.

Merz Under Pressure Since Saxony-Anhalt Election

The CDU suffered significant losses: in Berlin, where the party provides the Governing Mayor in Stefan Evers, it stands at 20.0 percent according to ARD projections (2023: 28.2 percent). Merz said that lead candidate Evers had guided the CDU to a "respectable result" with full commitment and great dedication.

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the party faces an anxious wait to see whether it will clear the threshold to enter the state parliament, standing at 5.4 percent according to ARD projections. In the last election in 2021, it had still reached 13.3 percent — at the time the worst result the Christian Democrats had ever achieved in the state. Merz said: "The CDU fought, but in the end the CDU was ground up in the polarisation between the SPD and the AfD." According to projections, both parties are clearly leading the field, with the AfD out in front.

Since the state election in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago and the CDU's poor showing there, internal party pressure on Merz had been steadily growing. Individual CDU representatives had already called on Merz to resign. Four days before the elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, however, the eight CDU state premiers had given the Chancellor their backing with a joint statement. Merz himself had consistently struck a combative tone.