General
Defeat in state will have long-lasting repercussions, says Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz refused to resign after his CDU suffered a historic defeat in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the party failed to win a single seat and the far-right AfD won. Merz called the result a "low point" caused by voter dissatisfaction with pension reforms, though he pledged to continue his policies while improving communication. He retains support from the party board but faces internal pressure as other CDU leaders question his leadership following similar losses in Saxony-Anhalt.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's