German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to continue with planned economic reforms despite a major electoral setback for his centre right Christian Democratic Union and a strong performance by the far right Alternative for Germany in Saxony Anhalt.
Speaking on Monday, September 7, 2026, a day after the regional election, Merz acknowledged that the CDU had suffered one of its most serious defeats in decades. However, he rejected suggestions that he would step aside, saying he remained determined to lead the government.
“Giving up is not an option for me,” Merz said.
The AfD secured a landslide victory in Saxony Anhalt but fell three seats short of an outright majority in the state legislature. The result has raised the possibility that the party could form Germany’s first far right state government since the Nazi era.
AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund said the party had received a clear mandate to form the next government and would seek support from other lawmakers. He rejected the possibility of an AfD minority government but said his party would work to build a stable majority in the coming weeks.
The party could potentially seek support from the left wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which won five seats. The two parties share opposition to immigration and have taken positions viewed as sympathetic to Russia, although they differ on other major policy issues.
Germany’s mainstream parties have maintained a political “firewall” against cooperation with the AfD because of the party’s far right positions and Germany’s historical experience with Nazism. The AfD’s regional branch in Saxony Anhalt is among several state organisations classified as confirmed right wing extremist groups by Germany’s domestic intelligence service.
Merz said the election result would not change Germany’s commitment to its constitutional order, European values or support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“We know that Germany carries special responsibility because of its history,” he said, adding that he would not retreat from his belief that Germany must defend its freedom against Russia.
The election result comes as Merz’s coalition government, formed by his Union bloc and the centre left Social Democrats, faces growing public dissatisfaction. The government has struggled to revive Germany’s sluggish economy and advance politically difficult measures, including proposed reforms to the pension system.
Merz nevertheless insisted that fundamental reforms were necessary to secure Germany’s long term economic future.
“Our determination to continue the reform course is unbroken,” he said, arguing that the country’s future and the opportunities available to younger generations depended on implementing the changes.
He acknowledged that the government needed to do more to explain the reforms to voters, both rationally and emotionally.
The AfD’s strong showing has also increased pressure on Merz ahead of two further regional elections scheduled for September 20 in Berlin and Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, another eastern state where the far right has significant support.
The Saxony Anhalt result has attracted attention beyond Germany, with several European right wing parties celebrating the AfD’s performance. Elon Musk also congratulated the party, while Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev described the result as a historic victory.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, however, criticised those celebrating the AfD’s success, while French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot warned against normalising the party’s far right positions.
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