Merz faces key test as 2 German states hold elections with eyes on the far-right AfD

Merz plans to stay in office despite his party's losses in two state elections.

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he plans to stay in office after his party's losses in two state elections on Sunday, and again doubled down on the government’s plans for potentially painful reforms to Europe’s biggest economy.

Exit polls by public broadcaster ARD on Sunday night indicated that Metz's center-right Christian Democratic Union came in with just 5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania -- the lowest result ever since World War II for the party in any state. The anti-migration, Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany party made significant gains Sunday.

Merz acknowledged the CDU’s result as a “disaster” but struck a defiant note, rejecting any retreat from his government’s reform agenda. He argued that Germany’s economic and political problems made difficult and potentially unpopular reforms more urgent, not less, and pledged to press ahead with “backbone, steadfastness and patience.”

In Berlin, the CDU was projected to come in second with 20%, behind the Left party at 24.5%, according to ARD's exit poll.

Merz’s authority was already damaged by CDU's stinging defeat to AfD in the Sept. 6 election in the small eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to outlaw persecution.

Merz, 70, became Germany’s leader 16 months ago with promises to turn around an economy that has barely grown in years, but has failed to lift a sullen national mood and has himself become deeply unpopular.

The strong showing of AfD in the Saxony-Anhalt election, where it has best chance yet of forming the country’s first far-right regional government since World War II, has further weakened the chancellor's standing on the national level as well. In the past two weeks there have been calls even from within his own party to replace him as chancellor, although no top-level allies have called publicly for his departure, and many have warned against “personnel debates.”

Apparently anticipating a tough postelection period, Merz abandoned a planned trip to New York next week to attend the U.N. General Assembly. Despite the strong headwinds, he has repeatedly said that he’s determined to stay on and finish his term as chancellor.