AfD wins Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Merz conservatives fall below 5%
The far-right AfD took first place in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's state election on 21 Sep 2026, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives crashed to 4.9%, below the threshold for parliament. The result, called a 'disaster' by Merz, follows the party's top finish in Saxony-Anhalt and its s
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, with projections showing the party taking 38.3 per cent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, ahead of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) at 35.4 per cent. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party fell to 4.9 per cent, below the 5 per cent threshold needed to enter the state parliament, a result Mr Merz described as "a disaster". The party's worst showing since 1949 raises fresh questions over his leadership, though he signalled he would continue as chancellor and press on with his reform agenda.
In a separate election in Berlin on the same day, the far-left Linke party topped the vote at 25.3 per cent, while Mr Merz's conservatives, who currently govern the state in coalition with the SPD, saw their share tumble to 19 per cent. The AfD also gained ground in the capital, winning 16.3 per cent. The Linke, which wants to nationalise housing from corporate landlords and cap rents, topped the poll in the state for the first time.
Sunday's results mark the AfD's second top-place finish this month at the state level, following its near-miss in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, where it came close to an absolute majority. The party, which wants to deport foreigners with no right to stay in Germany, restore energy ties with Russia and quit the euro, has transformed from a fringe euroskeptic movement into the country's most popular party in just over a decade. Its success has sent shock waves through Europe and raised fresh questions over the "firewall" strategy, under which other main parties refuse to form coalitions with it.
Mr Merz, elected last year on promises of reform, has struggled to win over voters amid a stream of communication missteps and unpopular pension, tax and healthcare reforms. Disillusion with his government has hung over campaigns in both states, where voters have focused on soaring energy and housing costs. On Friday, Mr Merz presented a consumer relief package that included tax cuts on gas and diesel.
Several voters in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cited living costs as a major concern. "Here in Schwerin, with these wages, you can hardly afford anything anymore," voter Carlotta Heick told Reuters. One elderly man criticised funding for foreign aid, saying, "We need our money here, for our country, for children and pensioners."
The SPD's state premier in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, had climbed in the polls before the vote by criticising both the AfD and the federal government's reforms. She said the AfD had won votes by opposing Germany's support for Ukraine, and noted that many people wanted to see energy flowing through the Nord Stream pipelines again. "First, in my state, many people oppose support for Ukraine, both financial and military," she said. "And a second point: Many people also wish to see energy flowing through Nord Stream again."
German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, who is also the SPD leader, signalled he wanted a change of course, citing voters' concerns over pension reforms. But Mr Merz doubled down, saying, "What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness, and patience. I would go so far as to say that these reforms are the antidote to the authoritarian poison that is penetrating ever deeper into our society." Marcel Fratzscher, president of the Berlin-based DIW research institute, warned that if the ruling coalition parties stick to their red lines, "political paralysis will become entrenched, economic weakness will persist, and the likelihood of an AfD election victory in 2029 will rise further."
