German state leaders rally behind Friedrich Merz as pressure mounts

Eight regional leaders from Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have united behind Chancellor Friedrich Merz, moving to shut down growing talk that his 16-month-old government is on the verge of collapse.

The joint statement comes just days before voters head to the polls on Sunday in Berlin and the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. With the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surging, Sunday’s votes are widely seen as a test of the chancellor’s political survival.

In their joint letter, the eight premiers argued that Germany needs stability and reliability over internal fighting. "The path to restoring public trust in Christian Democrats lies in listening and taking political action, not in debates over personnel," they wrote.

Who is backing Merz?

The signatories represent a broad coalition of Germany's state leaders, including those from Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Berlin, and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Crucially, the list includes Hendrik Wüst, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, who has been widely tipped as a potential successor to the chancellor. Markus Söder, the premier of Bavaria and leader of the CDU's sister party, the CSU, has also voiced his backing for Merz.

Even political rivals have urged the CDU to steady the ship. Felix Banaszak, the co-leader of the opposition Green party, publicly called on the CDU to end the infighting, warning that swapping the chancellor mid-term could trigger early national elections that would play into the hands of the far-right. The next general election is not scheduled until 2029.

What is driving the crisis?

The pressure on Merz, who took three attempts to win the CDU leadership before finally becoming chancellor, has intensified since a devastating regional election in Saxony-Anhalt earlier this month.

The AfD won 43.8% of the vote there, pushing the CDU into a distant second place with just 17.2%. It was the first time since the Second World War that a far-right party came so close to taking absolute control of a German state parliament.

The defeat triggered panic in Berlin. Merz's personal approval ratings have plummeted, with a recent Bild poll suggesting only 14% of voters think he is doing a good job.

His communication style has also drawn criticism. During a recent debate in the Bundestag, Merz accused the AfD of seeking "ethnic cleansing" of skilled workers through its mass deportation plans. In response, the AfD threatened to sue him for defamation, and its co-leader, Alice Weidel, claimed on social media that the CDU was committed to "business as usual" rather than positive change.

What happens next?

Sunday's elections present a major challenge. In Berlin, the CDU is neck-and-neck with the left-wing Die Linke, while the AfD and the Greens trail close behind. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD leads the centre-left Social Democrats in the polls.

The worst-case scenario for the chancellor would see the CDU lose power in Berlin and fail to secure enough votes to even enter the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

CDU officials are scheduled to meet on Sunday evening to co-ordinate their response as the results come in. For Merz, who cancelled plans to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week to manage the fallout in Berlin, the coming days will decide whether this sudden show of loyalty from his party colleagues is a permanent shield or just a temporary stay of execution.