Merz faces double regional election setback in Germany, vows to press on

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's party, the CDU, suffered a fresh setback according to exit polls from two regional elections held in Germany.

In Berlin, exit polls showed the left-wing party Die Linke finishing ahead of Merz's CDU. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was projected to finish first, narrowly ahead of the Social Democrats (SPD).

A warning after 16 months

Both results are being read as a significant warning sign for Merz, who has held the chancellorship for just 16 months. The Chancellor himself described the CDU's performance in these elections as a "disaster."

Despite the blunt self-assessment, Merz stressed his intention to continue pushing forward with his reform agenda rather than change course under pressure. Speaking in a televised address broadcast from a studio in Schwerin, the Chancellor said he would push on despite the setbacks.

The results point to continued pressure on Germany's traditional major parties from both the left and far right of the political spectrum, with the CDU's standing weakening in several state legislatures.