Merz lays out vision for Germany’s future after election setback
The head of Germany’s federal government, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, pledged to keep working on delivering his vision for the country’s future despite twin blows sustained by his party in state elections this month.
Two weeks ago, his CDU party secured only 17.2% in the landmark election in Saxony-Anhalt, a drop of nearly 20 percentage points, while the far-right AfD got 43.8%.
The CDU’s woes were compounded by the state vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania this Sunday, where the center-right party is projected to barely clear the 5% hurdle for entering the state parliament. Merz’s faction did significantly better in Berlin, securing 20% of the vote according to projections published on Sunday evening, but still lagging behind the socialist Left Party that is near the 25% mark.
“I want our country to be a country that believes in its own strength,” Merz said after the polls closed on Sunday.
“I want that — in our country — the promise of prosperity and moving up in the world should also apply to young people, and especially to them,” he said.
Merz said delivering on this will require changes, and “not everything will get a quick applause.”
“I know that these changes will go hand in hand with new uncertainties and burdens, and in some areas, it will only be after some time that we see the fruit of our labors,” he added, saying that “this is was exactly the reason why we must get down to business now.”
The center-right leader did not specify what concrete steps he would take to shape Germany for the future. His general tone, however, indicates that Merz is determined to hold on to power despite the latest election results and the drop in his own popularity nationwide.