Merz under pressure as CDU polls tumble ahead of key state elections
Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed European matters at the Arctic Summit in Finland while his party’s support in Germany slides, with polls in Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania showing the CDU at about 7% ahead of the September 20 state vote. The CDU suffered a heavy defeat in Saxony‑Anhalt, where the AfD took power, prompting criticism from within the coalition over his handling of pension reform. Union faction chief Thorsten Frei called for the party to drop internal speculation and push scheduled reforms forward with the SPD. CSU leader Markus Söder rejected any push to replace Merz, and eight state premiers issued a joint communiqué reaffirming their backing of the chancellor.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning outlets covered this 24h later
Why it matters
The collapse of CDU support could destabilise the governing coalition and shape Germany’s policy direction.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage mocks Merz and highlights his political failures, centrist coverage cautions against premature talks of his replacement and urges reform, while right-leaning coverage predicts an imminent collapse and calls for his resignation.
LEFT
Merz is portrayed as a beleaguered, ineffective leader whose predictions fail and whose authority is eroding.
CENTER
The story is framed as a warning against rushing to replace Merz, emphasizing the need to restore credibility and accelerate reforms.
RIGHT
Merz is depicted as on the brink of political collapse, isolated within his party and facing a decisive need to step down.
The left emphasises
- AfD’s triumph and the CDU’s “catastrophic” loss in Saxony-Anhalt
- Merz’s failed predictions - described as an “anti-oracle”
- A rapid loss of authority and internal criticism
The right emphasises
- Merz is “on the brink of political collapse” with poll numbers near the 5-percent threshold
- Senior party figures distancing themselves and skipping meetings
- Calls for a confidence vote or resignation
How this story developed
- Sep 7 The AfD was reported to be three seats short of an outright majority, prompting coalition negotiations.
- Sep 7 AfD received 43.8% of the vote and the CDU dropped to about 17%.
- Sep 8 Günter Krings, a member of the German Bundestag, described the recent Saxony-Anhalt vote as far worse than expected, with the AfD securing 43.8% of the ballots. He argued the CDU should not entertain discussions about replacing Chancellor Friedrich Merz so soon after the far-right's victory. Krings urged the party to focus on rebuilding its credibility and blamed EU decisions for part of voter anger. The CDU’s share fell to 17.2%, roughly half of its previous support.
- Sep 9 Former US president Donald Trump praised the Alternative for Germany (AfD) after its impressive result in Saxony-Anhalt, blaming the country's immigration policies.
- Sep 9 Trump posted a congratulatory message to the AfD on Truth Social after the Saxony‑Anhalt results.
- Sep 9 Merz and AfD leader Alice Weidel clashed in a Bundestag budget debate following the Saxony‑Anhalt result.
- Sep 10 Claudia Obert resigned from the CDU and Tino Schomann publicly demanded Merz’s resignation.
- Sep 11 Only the BSW agreed to talks as all other parties declined, and Chancellor Merz rebuked Donald Trump’s congratulatory post.
- Sep 12 Markus Söder publicly rejected calls to replace Chancellor Merz.
- Sep 13 Sloterdijk’s interview at the Hay Festival added new commentary on the AfD’s trajectory.
- Sep 15 A YouGov poll finds the AfD as the strongest party across Germany, while the CDU/CSU slips to an unprecedented low, with the Greens and SPD modestly improving.
- Sep 18 Eight state premiers issued a joint communiqué reaffirming support for Chancellor Merz.
- Sep 18 A new poll shows the AfD closing to within two points of the SPD in Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern.
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