The German Chancellor today declared himself “deeply shocked” by the historic victory of the far right in a regional election on Sunday, and promised to maintain the direction of government reforms, but explaining them better.
© Lusa
07/09/2026
by
Lusa
AfD
“ A my determination is to continue the course of reforms, without disruption, but I know that (...) we have to explain them better”, said conservative Friedrich Merz, at the end of a meeting of the leadership of his party, the CDU, quoted by the news agency France-Presse (AFP).
The far-right Alternative Party for Germany (AfD), anti-migration and pro-Russia, won the elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in eastern Germany, with 43.8% of the votes and was only three deputies of the absolute majority.
Merz acknowledged responsibility for the defeat and admitted that AfD’s electoral growth changes the game’s data “in all Germany”.
[News update]