
9 days · 7 summary articles
German voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will head to the polls on Sunday in state elections that have become a critical test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) seeks to build on its recent gains.
The AfD, which secured a historic 44% in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago, is polling strongly in both regions. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the party is locked in a tight race with the governing Social Democrats (SPD), led by Minister-President Manuela Schwesig, according to recent surveys . In Berlin, the AfD trails Die Linke by just 3.4% and Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) by 2.5%, per an average published by dawum.de .
Merz’s leadership is under intense scrutiny after the CDU’s poor showing in Saxony-Anhalt, where it won just 17.2% of the vote. A YouGov poll this week placed the CDU/CSU at 18% nationally, its worst-ever score in that survey, while the AfD reached 29% . The chancellor canceled a planned trip to the UN General Assembly, and the CDU has called an emergency meeting for Sunday evening to analyze the results .
Business leaders have warned of economic risks if the AfD gains power. The German Retail Association (HDE) called the party “absolutely anti-business,” citing its opposition to the euro, EU membership, and immigration policies . Meanwhile, a Kremlin official, Kirill Dmitriev, publicly endorsed the AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, promising economic cooperation and affordable gas via Nord Stream if the party wins .
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