Merz wins respite in German municipal polls but tougher tests to come
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saw his CDU party perform well in Lower Saxony municipal elections, providing a brief respite from recent political turmoil. However, the far-right AfD party continues to gain momentum, setting the stage for challenging upcoming state elections.
Why it matters
The rise of the AfD and economic dissatisfaction in Germany's industrial heartland signal potential instability for the current government and its reform agenda.
Germany’s under-fire Chancellor Friedrich Merz won some respite on Monday (September 14, 2026) after his CDU conservatives topped municipal polls in the state of Lower Saxony, provisional results showed, with the far-right Alternative for Germany also making strong gains.
The CDU won 27.2% of the vote at the weekend, with its coalition ally the Social Democrats on 24.6%, while the AfD climbed to third place with 15.9%, 11.3 points more than its result in 2021.
The results offer some relief for Mr. Merz a week after his party was trounced by the AfD in state elections in eastern Germany, jolting the government and putting his political future and reform programme in question.
The CDU’s leader in the northwestern state of Lower Saxony, which is home to car firm Volkswagen and steelmaker Salzgitter among others, welcomed the result but called for change.
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