CDU State Leaders Back Merz After Regional Elections

In Germany in September 2026, CDU state premiers issued a joint declaration supporting Chancellor and party leader Friedrich Merz after state elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt. The statement followed public discussion within the CDU about Merz's position, including a headline asking what would happen if he were to leave.

Sahra Wagenknecht criticized the AfD and predicted Merz's removal as chancellor. A separate report noted that old ties to Moscow in eastern Germany are contributing to the AfD's rise, and a political scientist discussed reasons why voters in Saxony-Anhalt support the AfD.