Germany's ruling center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, was shut out of a state parliament for the first time on Sunday. The historic defeat occurred after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the regional election in the country's north, marking the third state election victory for the anti-immigration party.
The outcome represents the second and third electoral drubbings handed to the CDU in a single month. Chancellor Merz addressed his party on Sunday evening following the results, describing the situation as a disaster as regional election defeats to far-right and far-left parties mounted.
In the wake of the defeats, growing political pressure is facing Chancellor Merz. The AfD has capitalized on the momentum, with the far-right party even predicting that Merz will be out of power within the coming months.
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