“Disaster.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was not mincing words Sunday night when he described the results of the state elections for his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. The CDU fell below the 5 percent threshold in the east German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—the first time in postwar German history that the CDU has failed to win representation in a state election. The far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) finished first in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with 38 percent, the second time that it has notched a first-place finish in September after garnering nearly 44 percent of the vote in the east German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Elections in the city-state of Berlin were no less dramatic, with the Left party (the successor to the East German communist party) finishing first, well ahead of Merz’s CDU.

That the CDU would lose badly in September was clear for some time, as was the chancellor’s deep unpopularity: In a recent poll, 84 percent of Germans said that they were unhappy with the performance of Merz’s government. That has fed speculation that Merz could be toppled from within or resign the party chairmanship to save his position, at least for a time, as chancellor.

“Disaster.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was not mincing words Sunday night when he described the results of the state elections for his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. The CDU fell below the 5 percent threshold in the east German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—the first time in postwar German history that the CDU has failed to win representation in a state election. The far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) finished first in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with 38 percent, the second time that it has notched a first-place finish in September after garnering nearly 44 percent of the vote in the east German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Elections in the city-state of Berlin were no less dramatic, with the Left party (the successor to the East German communist party) finishing first, well ahead of Merz’s CDU.

That the CDU would lose badly in September was clear for some time, as was the chancellor’s deep unpopularity: In a recent poll, 84 percent of Germans said that they were unhappy with the performance of Merz’s government. That has fed speculation that Merz could be toppled from within or resign the party chairmanship to save his position, at least for a........

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