Merz Vows to Keep Ruling Coalition Together for Germany's 'Democratic Future'
BBC News reports that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to maintain his ruling coalition for the sake of Germany's "democratic future", despite recent election setbacks.
Following defeats for his Christian Democratic Unionist (CDU) party in two state elections, Merz acknowledged the "profound turning point" represented by the results. He attributed the losses to "historic challenges" facing Germany, not his personal popularity.
Merz's position has faced scrutiny in recent months due to declining approval ratings, leading to speculation about a potential "chancellor swap" mid-term. The AfD party made significant gains in both Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, with one AfD leader predicting Merz's removal "pretty soon".
The recent elections follow a similar outcome in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks prior, where the AfD also emerged victorious.