German state elections open voting as Chancellor Friedrich Merz aims to keep far-right in power

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced a historic electoral setback in two state elections, describing the results as a disaster. His center-right CDU party suffered heavy losses, notably achieving only 5% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the lowest result since World War II. While the far-right Alternative for Germany party made significant gains, Merz remains defiant. He vows to press ahead with his government's reform agenda and rejects any retreat despite the major losses suffered by the CDU party.