German exit polls show Merz's CDU hit by heavy losses as AfD gains

Berlin,UPDATED: Sep 20, 2026 22:24 IST

Exit polls on Sunday showed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's party suffering heavy losses in two state elections, adding to pressure on a leader who has struggled to deliver on promises to revive Europe's biggest economy and slow the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD.

Merz's centre-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, was projected to record its worst result since World War II in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while in Berlin it was projected to finish second behind the Left party. The elections came two weeks after AfD finished just short of a majority in Saxony-Anhalt, deepening the political challenge facing Merz.

According to an exit poll by public broadcaster ARD, the CDU was projected to fall to 5.5 per cent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a largely rural state in Germany's formerly communist east. In Berlin, the party was projected to win 20 per cent, behind the Left party at 24.5 per cent.

AfD, which is anti-migration and friendly towards Russia, made significant gains in both elections on Sunday. The vote followed the Sept. 6 election in the small eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where AfD finished just short of a majority and now has its strongest chance yet to form Germany's first far-right regional government since World War II.

Merz's authority was badly damaged by his party's defeat to AfD in the Sept. 6 election, a result that shocked many Germans who believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to outlaw persecution.

Merz, 70, became Germany's leader 16 months ago after promising to turn around an economy that has barely grown in years. But he has failed to improve the national mood and has himself become deeply unpopular. AfD's strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt has further weakened his standing at the national level, and in the past two weeks there have been calls from within his own party to replace him as chancellor. No top-level allies have publicly called for his departure, and many have warned against "personnel debates".

Apparently expecting a difficult period after the elections, Merz cancelled a planned trip to New York next week for the UN General Assembly. Even with the political pressure growing, he has repeatedly said he is determined to stay on and complete his term as chancellor.

The latest exit polls added to the pressure on Merz, with the CDU projected to suffer heavy losses in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin, while AfD continued its recent gains after its strong showing earlier this month in Saxony-Anhalt.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends