German state elections test chancellor Merz's political standing

Voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania went to the polls on September 22, 2026. The results put pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his CDU party. Merz was already in a weak position because the far-right AfD had recently beaten the CDU in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. The AfD sees that victory as a step toward winning the 2029 federal elections. In Sunday's votes, polls suggested the AfD would not make big gains. However, the CDU faced a tough fight against Die Linke, the left-wing party, in at least one state. If the CDU lost to Die Linke, it would be another blow for Merz. International observers watched closely because of the AfD's growing influence across Germany.