German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has declared that he will remain in office, despite the poor results that exit polls predict for his party, the CDU, in two local elections.
In the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the CDU is expected to barely secure representation in the regional parliament, while the AfD is predicted to receive the most votes. Merz called the result for his party a "disaster."
According to projections by public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD is expected to receive around 38% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the SPD is expected to receive around 36%. However, the AfD's chances of leading the regional government remain limited, as other parties have refused to cooperate with it.
In Berlin, the CDU is also expected to lose its lead. Initial projections put the CDU at around 20%, while Die Linke at around 26%.
The results add to the pressure on Merz, just two weeks after the CDU suffered another heavy defeat in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD made significant gains.
Regardless of the results, Merz said his government would continue with its package of economic, fiscal and social reforms. "Reforms must be done," the chancellor said, stressing that he would continue to bear responsibility for leading the country.
The final results of the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are expected in the coming hours. /Euronews.al
