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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the country is facing a “tectonic shift in the party system” following the victory of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the state parliamentary elections in Saxony-Anhalt, and that the country’s authorities can no longer simply follow the existing agenda.
According to the Bild newspaper, Merz expressed disappointment over the AfD’s success during a meeting of the federal executive board of the ruling Christian Democratic Union.
“We have a strong constitution, we have all the means to defend it against a far-right government in the state, but we are facing a tectonic shift in our party system,” the German Chancellor said. “It is shaking our party to its foundations. We cannot simply return to business as usual — neither I nor the federal government.”
At the same time, Merz acknowledged that his party had “failed to establish an emotional connection with the people”. According to him, there is a lack of “emotional support from the population”.
“We cannot ignore that,” the head of the German government said.
Merz acknowledged that the Christian Democratic Union had suffered a “dramatic defeat” in the Saxony-Anhalt elections. He ruled out cooperation with the Alternative for Germany party.