Merz appeared before the media the day after the elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, expressing consternation at the worst defeat of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in decades. The German Chancellor acknowledged that the party he leads suffered a strong impact in the regional elections, leaving his governing coalition in a delicate situation.
The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved an impressive victory with 43.8% of the votes in that state, representing an unprecedented result that significantly exceeded expectations. Merz took a sort of mea culpa by admitting that the Government did not adequately explain the reforms it intended to implement.
The Chancellor stated that what happened will have consequences and made clear that he will not give up, demonstrating determination to continue leading despite the poor result. He also acknowledged that the far-right victory is not merely a domestic matter, but that it will have repercussions on an international scale.
