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PoliticsQuiet 3d · day 10

CDU shut out of German state parliament as AfD scores third win, Merz vows to stay

Merz calls a Christian Democrat rout in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin a 'disaster' but says he won't step aside.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 2d ago289 pieces609 likes & upvotes82 comments Google NewsNewswiresMastodonRedditYouTubeBlueskyXHacker News

Part of a larger narrative

AfD's German Electoral Surge

6 stories · since Aug 31 · newest 2h ago — Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party achieves historic election victories in eastern states, reshaping the country's political landscape and…

  1. Far-left party wins Berlin election on housing nationalization pledge
  2. CDU shut out of German state parliament as AfD scores third win, Merz vows to stayyou are here
  3. Sweden's centre-left edges ahead in razor-thin election victory
  4. Sweden's left edges ahead in cliffhanger election, coalition path unclear
  5. Trump hails AfD's German state election win, calls party 'on the rise'
All 6 stories in this narrative →

What to know

  • The CDU was expelled from a German state parliament for the first time since World War Two, after falling below the 5% threshold in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
  • The AfD won its third state election in a month, and Die Linke topped the poll in Berlin for the first time, both at the CDU's expense.
  • Merz, whose personal approval has fallen to around 10%, called the results a 'disaster' but rejected calls to step down, saying he will pursue his coalition's reform package.
  • Speculation continues over a possible mid-term 'chancellor swap' or snap elections, though this remains considered unlikely.

The dispute Commenters disagree over whether AfD's electoral gains reflect a genuine, organic shift in public opinion in eastern Germany or are being inflated by media attention and outrage-driven turnout on both sides. · positions read across 54 posts and comments

many voices

German political dysfunction (short-term policymaking, elite disconnect, broken promises) is driving voters toward the AfD regardless of party.

  • “The main problem is that there is no clear long term vision. Every 4 years there is a new government and they change direction. Industries need long term planability.”

    Kenny4487 · Reddit ↗
some voices

Merz deserves some credit for attempting overdue reforms even if unpopular, but is cutting welfare spending unfairly while protecting pensions.

  • “I'm not super fond of Merz, but he at least tries to push through reforms that should have been started decades ago. For that, he has my respect.”

    ABoutDeSouffle · Reddit ↗
some voices

AfD's growth is a genuine mainstream shift concentrated in eastern Germany that no other party will likely form a coalition with.

  • “On a federal level they're polling in Eastern-Germany with a few exceptions very high... I highly doubt that anybody will form a coalition with the AFD.”

    Own_Camp_8561 · Reddit ↗

“I would even go so far as to say that these reforms are the antidote to the authoritarian poison that, with the fascination of authoritarianism, is penetrating ever deeper into our society.”

Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor · BBC News ↗ · Sep 19

Friedrich MerzFriedrich Merz German Chancellor, CDU leaderAlice WeidelAlice Weidel AfD co-leaderCDU (Christian Democratic Union) Ruling center-right partyAfD (Alternative for Germany) Far-right opposition partyDie Linke (The Left) Left-wing party

CDU shut out of German state parliament as AfD scores third win, Merz vows to stay
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 6 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 73 pieces in 3h at Sep 20, 11 AM; 289 pieces over 10 days (187 articles · 9 videos · 73 posts · 20 comments) Sep 14, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 14, 2 PM — quietSep 14, 5 PM — quietSep 14, 8 PM — quietSep 14, 11 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 15, 2 AM — quietSep 15, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 15, 8 AM — quietSep 15, 11 AM — quietSep 15, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 15, 5 PM — quietSep 15, 8 PM — quietSep 15, 11 PM — quietSep 16, 2 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — 7 pieces · 6 articles · 1 post — Newswires 6, Mastodon 1Sep 16, 8 AM — 6 pieces · 5 articles · 1 post — Newswires 4, Google News 1, Reddit 1Sep 16, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 video — YouTube 1Sep 16, 2 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 16, 11 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 17, 2 AM — 4 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 2Sep 17, 5 AM — quietSep 17, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 17, 11 AM — quietSep 17, 2 PM — quietSep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 8 PM — quietSep 17, 11 PM — quietSep 18, 2 AM — quietSep 18, 5 AM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Sep 18, 8 AM — quietSep 18, 11 AM — quietSep 18, 2 PM — 3 pieces · 1 video · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, YouTube 1Sep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 11 PM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 2Sep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Google News 3, Newswires 1Sep 19, 8 PM — 6 pieces · 4 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 3, Mastodon 3Sep 19, 11 PM — 11 pieces · 7 articles · 4 posts — Newswires 6, Mastodon 3, Google News 1, +1 moreSep 20, 2 AM — 17 pieces · 8 articles · 9 posts — Mastodon 8, Newswires 7, Bluesky 1, +1 moreSep 20, 5 AM — 12 pieces · 12 articles — Google News 7, Newswires 5Sep 20, 8 AM — 9 pieces · 2 articles · 3 videos · 1 post · 3 comments — YouTube 3, Reddit 3, Newswires 2, +1 moreSep 20, 11 AM — 73 pieces · 59 articles · 13 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 48, Google News 11, Reddit 7, +4 moreSep 20, 2 PM — 17 pieces · 9 articles · 3 posts · 5 comments — Newswires 6, Reddit 5, Google News 3, +3 moreSep 20, 5 PM — 18 pieces · 6 articles · 2 videos · 4 posts · 6 comments — Reddit 7, Newswires 6, Mastodon 3, +1 moreSep 20, 8 PM — 12 pieces · 6 articles · 6 posts — Mastodon 7, Newswires 5Sep 20, 11 PM — 6 pieces · 3 articles · 3 posts — Mastodon 3, Newswires 3Sep 21, 2 AM — 26 pieces · 15 articles · 10 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 15, Mastodon 9, Reddit 2Sep 21, 5 AM — 25 pieces · 13 articles · 1 video · 9 posts · 2 comments — Newswires 12, Mastodon 7, Reddit 2, +4 moreSep 21, 8 AM — 17 pieces · 12 articles · 1 video · 2 posts · 2 comments — Newswires 12, Mastodon 2, Reddit 2, +1 moreSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet 123–56
Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22now · 5:04 AM ET
  1. 6

    Merz calls result a 'deep turning point', vows to keep coalition together

    At a follow-up news conference Merz said the outcome went beyond his own political fate and pledged to hold his coalition together for Germany's 'democratic future', as commentary described him as on borrowed time amid growing CDU unrest.

    “the results 'go far beyond my own person'”
    — Friedrich Merz
    1. 5 outlets Germany's Merz faces struggle to stay on track after humiliating regional election defeat

      first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 3d ago · also Bloomberg Politics, Globe and Mail, France 24 EN, Associated Press

      7 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet Merz vows to keep coalition together for Germany's 'democratic future'

      first by BBC, 2d ago

    1 more claim →

    • 🇩🇪 Germany's latest regional elections were about more than another bad night for the traditional parties: the political center is getting harder to hold together. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD more than doubled its 2021 vote and finished first, while in Berlin it

      @MarioNawfalX2d ago9▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 16 posts in this stretch

    • The main problem is that there is no clear long term vision. Every 4 years there is a new government and they change direction. Industries need long term planability. Regulations flip flop, most politicians only practice populism to get elected and as soon as they are in power do a 180. It doesn't matter what gets proposed, they only care about…

      Kenny4487r/worldnews3d agoview on r/worldnews ↗
    • mf_newsdigest@mastodon.mediafaro.org

      German state elections: Chancellor Friedrich Merz vows to stay on despite a ‘disaster’ in the polls. Exit polls show damaging losses for Merz’s centre-right CDU party. In the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the CDU fell short of a 5% threshold to enter parliament and the Far-right AfD was on track to win the most votes. Meanwhile in Berlin, the…

      mf_newsdigest@mastodon.mediafaro.orgMastodon3d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 5

    Weidel says Merz's 'twilight' has begun

    AfD co-leader Alice Weidel told the BBC Merz would soon be out of government and argued the AfD now represents the political mainstream, as the party notched its third state-election win and second this month.

    “Pretty soon, he's going to leave…”
    — Alice Weidel
    1. 3 outlets German Far-Right Party Comes Out Ahead In Second State Election

      first by Forbes Business, 3d ago · also Globe and Mail, Kyiv Independent

      2 more headlines
    • forbes.com

      German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the results a “disaster” for his center-right party.

      forbes.comBluesky3d ago469▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 15 posts in this stretch
    • samlitzinger

      Far-right tops another German state vote in CDU's worst result since 1949 - https://www. reuters.com/world/europe/merz- under-pressure-two-more-german-states-go-polls-2026-09-20/

      samlitzingerMastodon3d ago8▲view on Mastodon ↗

    • Mmmh, they're polling at the first/second strongest party on a national level for quite a while. On a federal level they're polling in Eastern-Germany with a few exceptions very high. There is the most potential for them. They're also rising in Western-Germany, but not on a such significant level. IMHO when the national government collapses and…

      Own_Camp_8561r/europe3d agoview on r/europe ↗
    all of them →
  3. 4

    Merz calls the result a 'disaster' but vows to stay in office

    Speaking at CDU headquarters in Berlin, Merz acknowledged a damaging defeat but said he would press ahead with his coalition's economic, tax and welfare reform package rather than step down.

    “The reforms have to come. I am taking on this responsibility, because I want to move our country forward.”
    — Friedrich Merz
    1. 16 outlets Germany's Merz defiant after historic state elections defeat, vows to press ahead with reforms

      first by CBS News, 3d ago · also France 24, Philadelphia Inquirer, Breitbart, CBC, PBS NewsHour, Associated Press +9

      10 more headlines

    2. 10 outlets first by The National UAE, 3d ago · also Le Monde EN, BBC, Guardian, NPR, Straits Times, Time +3 · read ↗

    2 more claims →

    • 🚨🇩🇪 WOW! The AfD just CRUSHED Merz’s party in another German state! With most districts counted in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the conservative party is leading with 39%. The SPD trails at 35%, while Chancellor Merz’s CDU has collapsed to just 4.8% (!!), potentially failing

      @MarioNawfalX3d ago20▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch

    • But they would gain many others. Also old people will vote CDU no matter what so the loss won't be that big. Overall I'd say they would gain voters and most importantly theyd reduce voters for the AfD Also remember that they are In a coalition with the SPD right now and if the SPD would stop shooting themselves in the foot for a moment they could…

      PresidentSkillzr/europe3d agoview on r/europe ↗

    • And if they had 500k ppl. it doesn’t matter. Ppl that would vote for them see the news, posts and whatever and will become more likely to vote them. I‘ve had countless "but so many vote for them“ that I can’t count it anymore.

      bobdammir/europe3d agoview on r/europe ↗
    all of them →
  4. 3

    CDU falls short of 5% threshold, AfD tops Mecklenburg vote

    Exit polls showed the AfD winning about 38-39% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, pushing the CDU below the 5% threshold and out of the state parliament for the first time since World War Two; in Berlin, Die Linke overtook the CDU while the AfD also gained.

    “With most districts counted in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the conservative party is leading with 39%. The SPD trails at 35%, while Chancellor Merz's CDU has collapsed to just 4.8%…”
    — @MarioNawfal

    • German Chancellor Merz vows to stay on despite 'disaster' state election exit polls

      @BBCWorldX3d ago15▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch

    • That article doesnt even list the banks that received help. Deutsche Bank has not received help and you really just prove that political leftwing positions have no basis on reality and require made up scenarios to justify their belives. "Deutsche Banken" translates to "german banks" and is not the same as the bank which has the name "Deutsche…

      PowerPanda555r/europe3d agoview on r/europe ↗
    • verdantsquare@mastodon.world

      From AP: Two German states hold elections with eyes on the far-right AfD https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=hOpzmUw9n1 M&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon * VSN-GDPM c1996 # news # SupportIndependentMedia # vsn

      verdantsquare@mastodon.worldMastodon3d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  5. 2

    Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania go to the polls

    About 3.8 million voters across the two states cast ballots, with Merz cancelling a UN General Assembly trip to stay in Berlin for the results, which were widely expected to further erode CDU support.

    1. 13 outlets Breaking news. Exit polls show Merz’s party suffering heavy losses in 2 German state elections

      first by Euronews.com, 4d ago · also Bangkok Post, Reuters, Bloomberg Politics, Independent UK, FT, Japan Times +6

      12 more headlines
    2. 3 outlets Merz under pressure as two more German states go to the polls

      first by ThePrint, 3d ago · also Reuters, Straits Times

    2 more claims →
    • germanatportsmouth.bsky.social

      Future of the German chancellor hangs in the balance as two states go to the polls www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s... via @theguardian.com @deborahcole.bsky.social

      germanatportsmouth.bsky.socialBluesky4d ago6▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • mf_newsdigest@mastodon.mediafaro.org

      Voting begins in German elections threatening fresh defeat to Chancellor Merz. Germans began voting Sunday in two closely watched state elections that could deliver fresh gains for the far right and far left, piling pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz as he struggles with low approval ratings and tensions within his governing coalition. https://…

      mf_newsdigest@mastodon.mediafaro.orgMastodon4d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    • jonesmurphy@mastodon.social

      "Coming two weeks after a seismic election in Saxony-Anhalt in which the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) scored its highest ever result in a regional poll, the nativist party is expected to drain support again from Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU)."<--AfD isn't 'anti-immigration'. It's a racist…

      jonesmurphy@mastodon.socialMastodon4d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  6. 3 days quiet
  7. 1

    Eight CDU state premiers back Merz ahead of the vote

    With speculation mounting over a possible mid-term 'chancellor swap', leaders of eight German states publicly threw their support behind Merz ahead of Sunday's elections.

    1. 3 outlets German state elections deal a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz

      first by Deutsche Welle EN, 3d ago · also Bangkok Post, Channel News Asia

      2 more headlines
    2. 2 outlets Merz Vows to Stay On After CDU's State Election Defeat

      first by Bloomberg Politics, 3d ago · also Euronews

      2 more headlines
    6 more claims →
    • thejapantimes@mastodon.social

      Two German state elections Sunday could deal a double blow to embattled Chancellor Friedrich Merz, two weeks after his party suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the far-right AfD. https://www. japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/ 17/world/politics/far-right-germany-merz-state-polls/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon # worldnews # politics #…

      thejapantimes@mastodon.socialMastodon6d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
    • euobserver@mastodon.social

      With far-right and far-left forces poised to take votes from the Christian Democrats, pressure is building on German chancellor Friedrich Merz. Sunday's state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could make or break the leader's prospects of political survival. https:// euobserver.com/237899/german-c…

      euobserver@mastodon.socialMastodon7d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  8. background

    AfD scores record win in Saxony-Anhalt — Two weeks before the Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania votes, the AfD won its highest-ever regional result in Saxony-Anhalt, halving the CDU's vote there and setting off speculation about Merz's future.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 5 outlets Merz's party suffering heavy losses in 2 German state elections, exit polls show

    first by Los Angeles Times, 3d ago · also Philadelphia Inquirer, CP24, Euronews, France 24 EN

    4 more headlines
  2. 4 outlets Germany’s far right secures another win in key regional election, exit poll says

    first by politico.eu, 3d ago · also RTE News, Straits Times, Politico Europe

    2 more headlines
  3. 4 outlets Germany's far-right AfD wins another state election, piling pressure on Chancellor Merz, exit polls show

    first by KEYT-TV, 3d ago · also WTOP News, Philadelphia Inquirer, France 24 EN

    2 more headlines
  4. 3 outlets Embattled Merz seeks party backing ahead of fresh election tests in Germany

    first by Straits Times, 8d ago · also Bloomberg Politics, Semafor

    2 more headlines
  5. 2 outlets Germany’s Far Right Sets Its Sights on Replacing Merz’s Party

    first by Bloomberg Politics, 2d ago · also Axios

    1 more headline
  6. 2 outlets Germany: CDU suffers a crushing defeat in the regional elections

    first by France 24 EN, 3d ago · also France 24

    1 more headline
  7. 2 outlets AfD surges as Merz’s CDU suffers regional elections setback

    first by France 24 EN, 2d ago · also France 24

  8. 2 outlets Five takeaways from Germany's regional elections after far-right gains

    first by France 24 EN, 3d ago · also France 24

  9. 2 outlets Merz under pressure as two more German states hold elections

    first by France 24, 3d ago · also Sky News

    1 more headline
  10. 2 outlets Far Right Appears to Fall Short of Power in New German Elections

    first by New York Times, 3d ago · also Politico

    1 more headline

and 30 smaller pieces

What people are saying 10 voices from 3 sites · best of 54 · verbatim

Still unanswered
  • Will Merz's coalition survive long enough to pass the disputed welfare and tax reforms, or will pressure force a mid-term 'chancellor swap'?
  • Could continued CDU losses eventually force snap national elections?