German CDU loses state parliament seats in eastern vote as Merz vows to stay

Regional defeats in the east and capital

State elections held on 20 September 2026 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin resulted in severe setbacks for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) placed first, securing its second state victory within a month after winning in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks earlier. The CDU fell below the 5% electoral threshold in the state, losing representation in the regional parliament for the first time in postwar German history. Despite the AfD victory, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) under state premier Manuela Schwesig intends to govern through a coalition with left-wing allies. In Berlin, the far-left Die Linke won the largest share of seats, positioning the party to replace the CDU in the mayor's office.

Voter shifts and polarising agendas

Voting patterns showed growing polarization across both regional electorates. AfD support in Berlin concentrated in eastern districts such as Marzahn-Hellersdorf, where voters cited rising living costs, crime, and federal debt policies. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the party drew heavily from working-class voters aged 25 to 59 in rural areas. While the AfD campaigned on expelling foreigners without residency rights, exiting the euro, and restoring energy ties with Russia, Die Linke in Berlin campaigned on rent caps and nationalizing large segments of the housing market. CDU lead candidate in Berlin Stefan Evers observed the difficulty of holding centrist support while governing.

We can see how difficult it is to win people over while in government and from the centre of society.

Chancellor vows to retain office

Addressing the nation in a televised appearance on Sunday evening, Merz described the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania result as a disaster and acknowledged a heavy blow to the party. The 70-year-old chancellor, who has spent 16 months in office, rejected resignation calls and committed to passing pending tax and pension legislation.

What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness and patience. I will demonstrate this as CDU party chairman and, above all, as chancellor of our country.

Merz cleared his schedule for the week, canceling a planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. At a press conference at the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus in Berlin on Monday, Merz noted that broader systemic shifts and public frustration with federal governance contributed to the losses.

Coalition strain and party reaction

The outcome intensified friction within the federal governing coalition and among conservative leaders. SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil called for an internal government review of voter sentiment.

We have to analyse, as a government, why there is this sense of uncertainty in the country.

SPD leaders, including Schwesig, have pushed to revise proposed federal pension reforms. Several conservative state premiers met on Sunday to review the results, concluding that Merz must deliver tangible economic policy improvements. Baden-Württemberg CDU leader Manuel Hagel called on the party to implement disruptive structural reforms, stating that the future of Christian democracy as a central governing force depends on decisive action.