Germany’s far-right AfD makes strong gains in two state elections– www.france24.com
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EXCERPT:
Germany‘s AfD party on Sunday was set to win 37% in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, ahead of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on 35.5% and far in front of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives, who got 5.5% and barely crossed the threshold to enter the state parliament, according to exit polls on ARD public television.
But the far-right party is unlikely to govern as the other main parties rule out working with it.
In another election in the capital Berlin that also took place on Sunday, the far-left Linke party was on 24.5%, while Merz’s conservatives were on 20% and the AfD also gained in strength, hitting 16%.
Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is projected to fall to 5.5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a largely rural state in Germany’s formerly communist east. That would be its worst result there since World War II.
In a televised address after the polls closed at 6pm local time, Merz said the election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was a “disaster” for his party and vowed to accelerate reforms as CDU party leader and chancellor to bring Germany forward.
“The reforms have to come,” he said. “I am taking on this responsibility, because I want to move our country forward.”
In Berlin, the CDU is projected to come in second with 20%, behind the Left party at 24.5%, according to the exit poll by public broadcaster ARD.
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