Political pressure on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sharply increased after a series of heavy election results for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), but there is no official decision within the ruling conservative bloc to replace him.
The latest regional elections in Germany have made Merz's future one of the main topics in federal politics. At the same time, opinion polls show significant dissatisfaction with his work, while leading representatives of the CDU/CSU demonstrate public support for the chancellor.
Heavy electoral losses for the CDU
The most serious blow came in the elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the CDU failed to pass the five percent barrier and remained outside the local parliament. AP notes that this is the first such case for the party in the history of the post-war Federal Republic.
„Alternative for Germany“ (AfD) has become the strongest political force in the province. In Berlin, the CDU also lost ground, falling to second place behind the Left. (apnews.com)
The results followed the CDU's defeat in Saxony-Anhalt earlier this month, where the AfD also came out on top.
Reuters described the results as the CDU's worst regional election defeat in post-war history and noted that they have heightened questions about Merz's political future. (reuters.com)
Only 14% approve of Merz's performance
Against this backdrop, polls show a significant drop in personal support for the chancellor.
According to an INSA survey conducted on September 10 and 11, only 14% of Germans surveyed consider Merz suitable for the position of chancellor, while 78% hold the opposite view. Among voters of the ruling conservative CDU/CSU bloc, 36% support him, while 58% disapprove. Another YouGov poll conducted for dpa showed that 48% of respondents expect Merz to be out of office by the end of 2026, while 31% believe he will remain in office.
These figures show the scale of public discontent, but do not in themselves mean that a procedure to replace the chancellor has begun.
CDU/CSU: Merz to stay
Amid speculation about his future, the leadership of the conservative bloc has shown support for Merz.
Eight prime ministers of German states from the CDU issued a joint statement in which they declared their support for the chancellor. According to Reuters, the purpose of the declaration was to put an end to speculation about a possible early resignation of Merz after the election losses.
The leader of the CSU and Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder, also confirmed his support for Merz.
After the elections, there is no evidence of an official request submitted by the parliamentary faction of the CDU/CSU to replace the chancellor. On the contrary — The leaders of the conservative bloc insist on maintaining stability and continuing the work of the ruling coalition.
Merz: “Quitting is not an option“
The chancellor himself has made it clear that he does not intend to resign.
After the election loss in Saxony-Anhalt, he stated that quitting was not an option. After even worse results in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin, Merz reaffirmed his intention to remain in office.
AP reported that since the last election there has been no public demand from leading figures in the CDU for his resignation, and no official contender for the leadership of the party or government has emerged. (apnews.com)
At the same time, Merz acknowledged that the CDU needs to change its political profile and find more convincing answers to the questions that worry German voters.
The economy and reforms are at the center of the dispute
The election results are related not only to Merz's personal popularity, but also to problems surrounding the ruling coalition's program.
The government is trying to push through reforms in the pension and health systems, as well as measures to stimulate the German economy. However, some of the proposals are also facing resistance among the coalition partner — the German Social Democratic Party.
Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said after the election that the government cannot simply ignore the message of the voters. The Social Democrats are demanding that the reforms be reviewed from the perspective of their social justice. (apnews.com)
Thus, the election losses present Merz with both a political and economic challenge — to preserve the coalition and continue reforms without deepening discontent among voters.
AfD gains ground
The other big factor in German politics is the rise in support for the AfD.
The party won regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and is also moving high in national polls. Reuters notes that the party remains outside federal power due to the position of the other main parties not to cooperate with it.
This further complicates the CDU's situation. The conservative bloc must respond to the growing support for the AfD without violating its previous policy of refusing coalition cooperation with the party.
Medvedev: call for Merz's removal
The political crisis in Germany was also commented on by Moscow.
The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev called on Germans to get rid of Merz, linking his criticism of the Chancellor to his policy towards Russia and Ukraine.
Medvedev's statements should be seen as a political position of a Russian state representative, and not as an independent description of German public attitudes. Medvedev himself has repeatedly made sharp criticisms of the German government and Merz's policies. In his official publications, he accuses Berlin of intensifying the military confrontation with Moscow.
Against this background, the Kremlin also openly opposes Merz's policies to the positions of the AfD. Reuters reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the AfD's readiness for dialogue with Moscow and described Merz's approach to Russia as confrontational.
What's next for the German chancellor
Despite a sharp drop in public support and tough regional election results, there is currently no immediate replacement for the German chancellor.
Merz continues to receive support from key figures in the CDU/CSU and has stated his intention to continue with economic and social reforms. At the same time, the results of the latest elections show that the ruling conservative bloc is losing ground in parts of the country, while the AfD is increasing its influence.
The next period will be important for Merz's ability to maintain the unity of the ruling coalition and support within his own party. For now, however, the gap between the public discontent reported in opinion polls and real political support within the CDU/CSU remains significant.
Sources: Reuters, INSA, Bild, Infratest dimap, ARD