German Chancellor Merz addresses CDU's historic loss in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and senior CDU officials held a press conference on Monday, September 21, after the party recorded its worst regional election defeat in post‑war Germany. In Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania the CDU fell below the 5 percent threshold required for representation in the state parliament, prompting Merz to label the outcome a “disaster.” The loss marks the first time the party has been excluded from the legislature in the state since the Federal Republic’s founding, underscoring a sharp decline in voter support for the traditionally dominant centre‑right formation.

During the briefing, Merz and the party’s Berlin candidate Stefan Evers offered no specific remedial measures, according to FRANCE 24 Europe editor Armen Georgian, and instead pledged to preserve the governing coalition in the interest of a “democratic future.” The CDU’s leadership emphasized unity and continuity while acknowledging the electoral setback, leaving observers to watch how the party will rebuild its regional presence ahead of upcoming national contests.