Merz vows to fight on after AfD's historic win in Saxony-Anhalt

German Chancellor Merz called the far-right AfD's historic election win in Saxony-Anhalt a deep shock and the CDU/CSU's worst result in decades, vowing not to resign. The AfD won 43.8 percent of the vote, far ahead of the CDU's 17.2 percent, halving its previous share. Merz said Germany needs fundamental reforms and rejected stepping down, stating "giving up is not an option." He acknowledged the result's implications for Germany, Europe, and himself, and noted upcoming state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin later this month. The AfD won 39 of 83 seats, short of a majority, and may seek coalition partners like the pro-Russian BSW, which said the "Brandmauer" excluding AfD is no longer viable. Merz affirmed unchanged support for Ukraine despite the AfD's pro-Russian stance.