German chancellor vows to stay in office despite AfD triumph in state election
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to remain in office following a significant electoral defeat by the far-right AfD party in Saxony-Anhalt. The results have shaken the conservative CDU party and raised concerns about political stability.
Why it matters
The rise of the AfD in regional elections signals a major shift in German politics and challenges the traditional establishment's control.
‘Giving up is not an option for me,’ said Friedrich Merz. ‘Giving up is not an option for me,’ said Friedrich Merz. Germany German chancellor vows to stay in office despite AfD triumph in state election Friedrich Merz said his conservative CDU was shaken ‘to its very foundations’ after far-right victory in Saxony-Anhalt
Prefer the Guardian on Google A “shocked” and chastened Friedrich Merz has vowed to stay in office despite the far right’s triumph in a state election that has brought anti-immigrant, pro-Kremlin politicians within striking distance of power.
The German chancellor, appearing ashen-faced in front of reporters in Berlin, said on Monday that the landslide victory by the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt had shaken his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) “to its very foundations”.
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