SCHWERIN (GERMANY): The Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany Sunday, exit polls showed, delivering a “disaster” for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who vowed to push ahead with his reform agenda.The AfD was set to win 37% in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, ahead of the centre-left Social Democrats on 35.5% and far in front of Merz’s conservatives, who got 5.5% and barely crossed the threshold to enter the state parliament, according to exit polls on ARD public television. But the far-right party is unlikely to govern as the other main parties rule out working with it.If confirmed, Sunday’s result would be the worst in any state election for Merz’s party since 1949. It would also be another first-place finish at state level in a month for the AfD party, which is shunned by mainstream parties but is topping national opinion polls. “It’s a disaster,” Merz said in televised remarks, but signalled that he would fight on as chancellor after speculation that a bad result could prompt him to resign.In another election in the capital Berlin that also took place Sunday, the far-left Linke party was on 24.5%, while Merz’s conservatives were on 20% and the AfD also gained in strength, hitting 16%.Sunday’s results may not prove a knock-out blow for Merz. But his low approval ratings, unpopular reforms and the triumph of the AfD in an earlier state election in Saxony-Anhalt have left his future in the balance.Merz has called a party meeting for Sunday to discuss the way forward.The elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a largely rural state in the formerly communist east, and the capital Berlin follow the Sept 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD came close to the rare feat of winning an absolute majority. Elections in the two states would not usually draw much interest outside Germany, but the AfD’s success in Saxony-Anhalt, which it sees as the first step towards winning federal elections due in 2029, has sent shock waves through Europe. In just over a decade, the party, which wants to take tough action to deport foreigners with no right to stay in Germany, restore energy ties with Russia and quit the euro, has transformed itself from a fringe eurosceptic movement to the country’s most popular party. reuters
