Merz weakened as German regional election losses expose deeper political crisis
After a string of poor regional election results, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces record-low approval and rumours of being replaced, as trust in both governing parties fades and the far-right AfD gains ground.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been left politically weakened after a run of damaging regional election results, exposing a broader crisis over the country's shifting national identity.
Over the past fortnight, Merz's Christian Democratic party (CDU) lost its lead position in Berlin, was hit hard in polling in Saxony-Anhalt, and was voted out of the state parliament entirely in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. While no one within the CDU has openly challenged Merz so far, persistent talk of a possible chancellor swap continues to circulate. His approval ratings have hit record lows, with voters frequently describing him as arrogant and disconnected from ordinary concerns.
Party backing holds — for now
Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesperson for the CDU and its sister party the CSU, argues that replacing the chancellor would not solve anything, since any successor would face the same challenges. He says Merz is aware of his own shortcomings and will work to address them, just as the party will work on itself.
Economy and migration
Merz took office in 2025 on promises of a tougher immigration policy and a revived economy. This week, leading economic institutes raised Germany's growth forecasts for 2026 and 2027 above 1%, and illegal entries into both Germany and Europe have fallen year on year. Yet public anxiety persists: households and businesses continue to face high energy costs, and there is ongoing concern that Chinese competition is undermining German industry, including its car sector. On immigration, public debate has shifted from the number of new arrivals toward concerns over public safety, welfare costs and integration.
Trust in the two main governing parties, the CDU and the SPD, appears to be eroding, while support grows for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party whose Russia-friendly stance worries security officials and some of whose regional branches are classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence services. The AfD claimed its third-ever state election win last Sunday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Its co-leader, Alice Weidel, said this week that Merz's time in office was numbered.
