Germany’s far-left party Die Linke has been projected to win the most votes in a state election in Berlin, according to exit polls from public broadcaster ARD showing the party at 24.5 percent, though it would need allies to take control of the mayor’s office for the first time since the 1990 reunification. Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced mounting political pressure as his incumbent Christian Democratic Union placed second in the capital with 20 percent, while the far-right Alternative for Germany secured 16 percent.
Berlin Election Results and Coalition Dynamics
Voters in Berlin delivered a victory to Die Linke, upending traditional power dynamics in the city-state. Elif Eralp, Die Linke’s lead candidate and the daughter of Turkish immigrants, celebrated the outcome by telling supporters that love and justice triumphed over hatred in the capital. About 2.5 million residents were eligible to cast ballots in Berlin on Sunday, heading to polls that opened at 8am local time and closed at 6pm.
Despite capturing 24.5 percent of the vote according to ARD projections, Die Linke lacks an outright majority and must negotiate with potential coalition partners to take control of the mayor’s office. Meanwhile, Chancellor Merz’s CDU managed 20 percent support in the capital, a figure that Al Jazeera reporter Dominic Kane noted was not disastrous from the incumbent leader’s perspective, especially when contrasted with heavier setbacks elsewhere.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Vote Defeats CDU
In the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right AfD is projected to win the election with 37 percent of the vote, narrowly outpacing the centre-left Social Democratic Party at 36 percent. Nearly 1.3 million voters were eligible in this region, where the CDU played a secondary role in a contest between the SPD’s state premier Manuela Schwesig and the AfD’s lead candidate, former radio presenter Leif-Erik Holm.
Chancellor Merz bluntly described the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania outcome as a disaster during a crisis meeting of the CDU leadership in Berlin. Speaking at party headquarters, the 70-year-old leader rejected immediate calls to step down, stating that reforms require backbone, steadfastness, and patience. Merz’s approval ratings have dropped to about 14 percent over his first 16 months in office amid struggles to advance economic and social welfare reforms alongside SPD coalition partners.
Did you know? Regional elections in Germany typically attract limited international attention, but recent gains by the far-right AfD have drawn scrutiny across Europe as a potential preview of federal races scheduled for 2029.
Political Fallout and Reactions Across Germany
Following the regional outcomes, AfD national co-leader Tino Chrupalla demanded the German chancellor’s resignation. Chrupalla told ZDF television that Merz delivered a feeble statement by announcing plans to carry on rather than face political consequences.
Florian Hartleb, a professor of international relations at Modul University in Vienna and an expert on far-right movements, described the earlier AfD breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt as a revolution for the German party system. According to Hartleb, other political parties have tried everything against the AfD in recent years, but those efforts failed to counter growing voter dissatisfaction over migration, the economy, and social inequality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Berlin state election according to exit polls?
Die Linke won the most votes in Berlin with 24.5 percent, according to ARD exit polls, followed by the CDU at 20 percent and the AfD at 16 percent.
What were the results in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania?
The AfD is projected to win with 37 percent of the vote, just ahead of the SPD at 36 percent, according to election projections.
How has Chancellor Friedrich Merz responded to the election results?
Merz called the outcome in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania a disaster during a CDU crisis meeting but vowed to stay in office to push through necessary economic and social reforms.
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