AfD reaches 37% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as Merz rules out resignation

State election results and Merz's response

Initial projections from state elections on 20 September 2026 placed Alternative for Germany (AfD) at approximately 37% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) secured just over the 5% threshold needed for parliamentary representation. German Chancellor and CDU chairman Friedrich Merz addressed journalists shortly after exit polls were published, acknowledging that results differed markedly between Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. Merz ruled out any resignation, stating that he will maintain his responsibilities at the head of the party and the federal government. He acknowledged the setback to his earlier political commitment that a CDU-led government would shrink support for the far right.

The result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cannot be sugarcoated. It is catastrophic.

Reform commitments against political division

Merz noted that public trust in state institutions has declined because government processes have become overly complex. He stressed that Germany cannot resolve its economic difficulties or societal divisions by attempting to revert to past eras. The chancellor rejected continuous public disparagement of national achievements and insisted that the country must instead prepare for structural changes. Merz argued that comprehensive policy reforms represent the primary defense mechanism against the growth of authoritarian movements. He stated that the political leadership must exercise determination, stability, and patience to carry out essential state modernization.

These reforms are an antidote to the poison of authoritarianism.

AfD demands end to CDU firewall

In Berlin, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel publicly called on the Christian Democrats to eliminate the protective barrier that blocks political cooperation with her party. Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF, Weidel asserted that the CDU remains weakened precisely because it rejects regional and federal coalitions with the AfD. She stated that the electorate is consistently voting for center-right policies and urged Merz to adjust his governing stance to match voter preferences. Weidel framed the regional election outcomes as clear evidence that German voters demand a change in political direction.

Our goal is, of course, to hold talks to form a coalition government with the CDU in the long term, but under no circumstances will we compromise on our positions.

Economic concerns and voter demographics

Electoral data from the German Federal Agency for Civic Education for the 2025 federal election shows that the AfD draws support from broader occupational segments than conventional assumptions suggest. During that vote, the party won 38% support among manual workers and 34% among unemployed citizens. Yet manual workers and unemployed people represented only one quarter of the party's total voting base. Salaried employees, civil servants, and self-employed individuals made up the remaining three quarters of AfD voters, with the strongest appeal among middle-aged men.

Economist Daniel Posch from the Bertelsmann Foundation told the Financial Times that shifts in voting behavior do not require prior economic destitution. Posch explained that the expectation of losing income or professional status is sufficient to alter political choices. Industrial workers face structural headwinds from Chinese market competition, elevated energy prices, vehicle electrification, and trade restrictions. These economic anxieties were heightened by Volkswagen planning to cut 100,000 jobs with trade union agreement, contributing to broader insecurity in eastern German states.