The AfD secured its second state-election victory of September in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU fell below the threshold for representation in a state parliament for the first time in Germany’s postwar era.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.

The Alternative for Germany won Sunday’s election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, extending its September gains in eastern Germany while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union suffered a historic setback by failing to qualify for seats in the state parliament.

The AfD finished with about 38% of the vote, ahead of the Social Democratic Party at roughly 35.5%, while the CDU received 4.9%, below the 5% threshold required for representation. The result marked the first time since 1949 that the CDU failed to clear the threshold in a German state election.

The victory came two weeks after the AfD finished first in Saxony-Anhalt, giving the party another state-level win during a month in which Merz’s CDU has faced significant losses.

Leif-Erik Holm, a leader of the AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, argued after the vote that his party had occupied political territory he said the CDU abandoned during former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s leadership.

“It’s clear that the AfD is the new civic-conservative party, because the CDU has not fulfilled that role for years, ever since Merkel hollowed out the party and pushed it further to the left,” Holm said in an interview following the election.

“As a result, a space opened up in the political spectrum — and we are now occupying that space.”

Despite winning the largest share of votes, the AfD does not automatically take control of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania government. Germany’s parliamentary system requires a governing majority, and other parties have generally ruled out forming coalitions with the AfD.

The same obstacle remains in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD won approximately 44% earlier this month but fell short of an outright parliamentary majority. Other parties’ willingness to cooperate will determine whether it can translate its electoral result into control of the state government.

The election results were markedly different in Berlin.

The Left Party finished first there with 25.3%, while the CDU received 19% and the AfD placed third with 16.3%. Although the AfD increased its support in the capital, its performance remained well below its showing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

The AfD’s September victories have also placed greater attention on the immigration policies promoted by its state leaders.

Ulrich Siegmund, who led the party to its Saxony-Anhalt victory, drew attention shortly after that election when he linked defense-industry production to the equipment that could be used in what the party describes as a “remigration” and deportation campaign.

“We do not condemn the production of weapons in general, because we will of course also need appropriate resources for later remigration and a deportation offensive,” Siegmund said.

His comments came in response to a question concerning plans by Israeli defense company Elbit Systems for a possible manufacturing facility in Saxony-Anhalt. Reuters reported that the project under consideration involved production of components rather than complete weapons systems, drones or artillery shells.

The statement led to claims that Siegmund was suggesting weapons could be used to enforce deportations. He subsequently elaborated on his remarks, saying defense production encompassed considerably more than firearms.

“Arms production is a broad field. It includes not only weapons, but also equipment, vehicles, protective technology, and other resources that the German armed forces, police, and security services depend on,” Siegmund said in explaining his position. He said such equipment could be used to enforce existing law and carry out deportations.

The AfD uses the term “remigration” as part of its immigration platform, which includes substantially increasing deportations of people it says do not have a legal right to remain in Germany, including rejected asylum applicants and foreign nationals convicted of crimes.

Immigration has been one of several issues contributing to the AfD’s growth, alongside concerns over energy prices, living costs, Germany’s economic performance and policy toward Ukraine. The party has also called for renewed energy ties with Russia and has opposed Germany’s military support for Ukraine.

The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania result represents another setback for Merz, whose CDU has now suffered substantial losses in consecutive eastern state elections.

The CDU’s 4.9% showing was particularly significant because it eliminated the party from the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania legislature entirely rather than merely reducing its number of seats. Merz has nevertheless said he intends to remain chancellor and continue pursuing his government’s reform agenda.

For the AfD, Sunday’s result adds Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to Saxony-Anhalt as states where it has finished first this month. The next question in both states is whether those electoral victories can produce governing coalitions or whether competing parties will assemble alternative majorities that keep the AfD outside the executive branch.

Original article