German Chancellor Says He Was 'Shocked' by State Election Rout, Calls for 'Fundamental Reforms'

[Financial News] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)'s landslide victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament election as "the most serious defeat in decades" and said he was "deeply shocked."
On the 7th local time, Chancellor Merz said the election "marks a turning point not only for Saxony-Anhalt but for Germany as a whole, and Germany needs fundamental reforms." He partly agreed with the analysis that his government had lost support over recently pursued reforms, including raising the retirement age, but rejected calls for him to take responsibility.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Merz, won just 17.2% of the vote in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament election the previous day, securing 15 of the 83 seats. By contrast, the Alternative for Germany won a landslide victory with 43.8% of the vote and said it would seek to challenge for control of the federal government in the next general election.
Chancellor Merz and the governing alliance of the CDU and the Christian Social Union (CSU) are expected to face another test in the state parliament elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the 20th.

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