Merz’s CDU Crashes to 4.9% as AfD Surges to 44% in Germany’s East
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is winning election after election while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffers historic defeats, raising questions about the stability of Germany’s coalition government.
Germany’s political center is crumbling. In a series of regional elections that have shaken the country’s establishment, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has suffered crushing defeats while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surged to unprecedented levels of support [246792][247349].
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD won 38% of the vote, while the CDU recorded its worst result since World War II, failing even to reach the 5% threshold needed to enter the state parliament [247424]. In the home state of former leader Angela Merkel, the CDU managed just 4.9% [246251]. The party lost its seat in a regional parliament for the first time since 1949 [248049].
The results in Saxony-Anhalt were equally stark. The AfD came close to an outright majority with a record score of 43.8% [251146]. The party is now classified as right-wing extremist by German domestic intelligence [248521].
Merz called the results “a disaster” and acknowledged they “go far beyond my own person” [246792][247042]. He cancelled a planned speech at the United Nations General Assembly to manage the fallout [247424]. Despite the losses, Merz insisted he will keep his coalition together for Germany’s “democratic future” [247042].
The defeats do not remove Merz from office, but they weaken his authority within his party and his ability to govern [246792]. His party has now lost ground in three regional votes within weeks [246792].
The shift reflects widespread economic insecurity and a crisis in living standards. Germany faces weak growth, high energy costs, and job losses in key industries [250843]. Migration is another flashpoint, with recent attacks renewing public debate over border control and asylum policy [250843]. Voters are using elections to protest, and parties on both the far right and far left are benefiting [247349].
The AfD’s rise has been accompanied by a pattern of cooperation with the CDU in the European Parliament. Since the 2024 European elections, the two parties have repeatedly voted together to toughen immigration laws, weaken the Green Deal, and push for more deregulation [247330].
Analysts say this marks a deeper identity crisis for Germany. The country built its post-war success on stable centrist rule. That model now appears under strain [250843]. If Merz fails to secure support, Germany could face new elections — and further political instability [250843].