German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will be forced to resign by the end of 2026, after the disastrous results for his party (the CDU/CSU bloc), according to Austrian political scientist Karl Jurka.
“I do not think that Merz will still be chancellor by Christmas“, reported the APA news agency. The expert also did not rule out the possibility that the ruling coalition could fall apart due to disagreements between the ruling parties, which would necessitate early parliamentary elections. “None [of the main parties] wants that, because that would mean a victory for the “Alternative for Germany“ (AfD - TASS)“, added Jurka. If early elections are necessary, the main battle will be between the CDU/CSU bloc and the AfD, the political scientist said.
After its failure in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz's party suffered its second crushing defeat in state elections this month. The chancellor himself called the result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a disaster, but expressed his readiness to continue as CDU chairman and chancellor. Meanwhile, his authority has been so undermined that experts say his political future is still in question. According to a survey by the Forsa polling agency, only 10% of Germans assess the chancellor's work positively, and almost half expect him to resign this year.