German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that he is «deeply shocked» by the AfD‘s victory in the regional elections. The anti-migrant and pro-Russian party secured nearly 44% of the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, which was part of the former East Germany, while Friedrich Merz‘s CDU received only 17%.
Reaction to the defeat and reform plans
Following a meeting of the leadership of his conservative CDU party, the Chancellor accepted personal responsibility for the defeat and noted that the AfD‘s electoral success is changing the situation «throughout Germany». Friedrich Merz emphasized his determination to continue his reform agenda without changing course, but acknowledged that the government needs to do a better job of explaining these reforms to the public.
In turn, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel criticized the Chancellor. She stated that «never has a chancellor been as unpopular as Friedrich Merz, who has become a serious obstacle to Germany’s successful development». According to her, the AfD party aims to win at least 40% of the vote in the next parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for 2029.
Source: Le Parisien
