Merz campaigns for Berlin CDU in tight state election race

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is campaigning for the Berlin state election on Thursday amid intense debate over his political future, seeking to support the local CDU in a tight race. He will appear with top candidate Stefan Evers at a fully booked event under the motto "Keep extremists away from power." The Berlin election on Sunday, alongside one in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, is seen as a critical test for Merz after the CDU's heavy defeat in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD won clearly. Polls show a close contest between the CDU and the Left Party in Berlin, while the CDU trails far behind in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The results carry major national significance as speculation grows over Merz's chancellorship. Eight CDU state premiers, including Berlin's Kai Wegner, have publicly backed him and rejected personnel debates, though the party faces pressure following recent electoral setbacks.