International
Merz's Party Fails to Clear Electoral Threshold in State Election as Far-Right AfD Wins
The CDU, led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, failed to meet the 5% electoral threshold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for the first time in its 81-year history, receiving only 4.9% of the vote. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the largest party with 38.2% of the vote, securing 32 of 71 seats, though it is expected to remain in opposition as other parties refuse to cooperate. This result follows a recent loss in Saxony-Anhalt and intensifies pressure on Merz, who described the outcome as disastrous but affirmed his intention to remain chancellor. In Berlin, Die Linke won with 25.7%, while the CDU finished second with 18.8%. Internal calls for Merz's resignation are growing despite previous support from CDU state premiers.
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