General
German State Elections: Far-right AfD Gains Again, CDU's Merz Suffers Major Losses
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The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the largest party in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and made significant gains in Berlin, following a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered severe losses, dropping to 5.5 percent in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and 20 percent in Berlin. In Berlin, Die Linke achieved a strong result with 24.5 percent of the vote, enabling a potential left-wing coalition with The Greens and the SPD. Despite the setbacks, Merz refused to resign, stating he accepts responsibility for leading reforms to secure the country's future.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's