Merz fights for survival after AfD's Saxony-Anhalt shock
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a political crisis after the far-right AfD's landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt state elections, with his CDU party suffering a historic defeat and his approval ratings collapsing to 9%. The AfD, now just three seats short of an absolute majority in the state parliament, is courting CDU defectors and exploring alliances with the BSW party to form a government. Merz has vowed to remain in office despite growing pressure for leadership change. The next critical test comes September 20 with regional elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the AfD leads in polls. Analysts say Germany's political establishment must shift from isolating the AfD to offering voters a compelling alternative agenda.