Söder backs Merz as CDU collapses in Saxony-Anhalt

CSU leader Markus Söder has publicly backed Chancellor Friedrich Merz, ruling out any move to oust him despite the CDU's historic collapse to 17.2% in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, where the AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote on September 6. Söder called the result "the biggest protest vote in German history" and urged the black-red coalition to accelerate its work, specifically targeting SPD Labor Minister Bärbel Bas over social spending. He also blamed foreign influence from Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin for boosting the AfD. With upcoming state elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin next Sunday, Söder's cautious response—merely "I hope so" when asked if the coalition would last until 2029—signals growing pressure on the government.