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Germany's Merz rejects calls to resign, vows to serve full four-year term
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at a business congress in Berlin that he wants to complete his four-year term and lead the country out of a difficult period. In a GMS poll, the Alternative for Germany stood at 30 percent, 10 points ahead of the alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected discussions that he could leave office early following the election defeat in Saxony-Anhalt and weak opinion poll results.
Speaking at a business congress in Berlin on Tuesday, Merz recalled that he had been elected for four years and said he wanted to use this period to lead Germany out of a difficult phase.
I want to use these four years to lead the country out of a difficult period.
Merz said he would work to ensure the coalition between the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union and the Social Democratic Party succeeds, adding that he would do everything in his power to enable the government to remain in office.
Defending the coalition government's record, Merz argued that it had launched more reforms in 16 months than Germany had managed in previous years.
AfD overtakes conservative alliance in polls
The chancellor's remarks came after the conservatives suffered a heavy election defeat in Saxony-Anhalt. In a GMS poll published on Monday, the Alternative for Germany reached 30 percent support, while the alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, stood at 20 percent.
The Alternative for Germany therefore led the alliance by 10 points. Support for the Social Democratic Party was measured at 11 percent. The Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union's combined score of 20 percent marked the conservatives' lowest level in GMS surveys.
Based on these results, Merz's coalition would not have secured a majority in parliament if an election had been held this week. In the federal election held on February 23, 2025, the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union received 28.5 percent of the vote, while the Alternative for Germany received 20.8 percent.
Regional elections will test Merz's leadership
Regional elections to be held on Sunday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin are seen as a new test for Merz's political future. The Alternative for Germany won 43.8 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, while the Christian Democratic Union recorded 17.2 percent, its lowest result in the state's history.
The Christian Democrats have been discussing for weeks who could replace Merz. North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wüst is being mentioned among the potential successors.
A leadership contest that could emerge within the Christian Democrats after the regional elections would not by itself require the Bundestag to be dissolved or an early federal election to be held. If Merz leaves office as a result of pressure within his party, parliament can elect a new chancellor without a nationwide election being held.
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