Merz cancels UN trip after AfD's regional election triumph
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has canceled his trip to the UN General Assembly, saying he must remain in Berlin after the CDU's heavy defeat in Saxony-Anhalt. Two more key regional elections are set for Sunday.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called off his planned trip to next week's UN General Assembly in New York. News agency DPA reported, citing government sources, that the chancellor's presence is needed in Berlin instead.
A difficult moment for the CDU
The decision follows a disappointing regional election result for Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Saxony-Anhalt, where the right-wing eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won decisively with 44% of the vote. The outcome has placed the chancellor under significant political pressure.
Two more votes ahead
Regional parliamentary elections are due on Sunday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. Polls suggest CDU support in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could fall to a historic low. In Berlin, where the CDU is currently the largest party in the governing coalition, forecasts show it running almost neck and neck with the left-wing Die Linke party, with AfD trailing only slightly behind both.
Fuel prices and coalition friction add to pressure
Compounding Merz's difficulties are extremely high fuel prices that are straining many German drivers, along with disagreements within the governing coalition with the Social Democrats over how to support drivers with limited financial means.
