Germany Chancellor Merz calls his party's defeat in 2 state elections a 'disaster'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called his party Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) defeats in two state elections a “disaster”. “What needs to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness and patience,” Merz said. In one state, the anti-immigration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) came first, while in the second, the far-left Die Linke appeared close to winning.