German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Vows to Combat Political Extremism Following Major Electoral Gains by AfD and Far-Left Parties

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has strongly condemned what he termed political “extremism” in Germany, following stinging defeats in local elections to the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Speaking on Wednesday at an event in Berlin, Merz emphasized that combating extremism is a crucial task for society as a whole and one he is determined to address.

Merz pointed out that extremism is forcefully entering the country's parliaments. This statement came just a day after a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was elected president of the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt, alongside the Left Party's victory in Berlin’s state election on Sunday. Merz warned that voting for the AfD undermines credibility and directly conflicts with the values of his party, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU).

Despite winning the September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD led by candidate Ulrich Siegmund fell three seats short of an absolute majority. Founded in 2013 as a eurosceptic movement, the AfD gained significant momentum through its hardline opposition to immigration, particularly after roughly a million people arrived in Germany in 2015. The party has since established itself as a dominant political force across eastern Germany.

In Berlin, lead candidate Elif Eralp led the far-left Left Party to a major victory in the state election on September 20, dealing another blow to the ruling Christian Democrats. Eralp campaigned heavily on the soaring cost of housing in the capital, pledging to nationalise private housing associations to tackle property speculation and alleviate the rental crisis, following a 2021 referendum.

These electoral shifts highlight a broader voter backlash against traditional centre-left and centre-right parties. Meanwhile, Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces mounting political pressure, recently recording a record low approval rating where only one in 10 respondents expressed satisfaction with his performance. The political landscape faces its next major test in April, when voters in North Rhine-Westphalia will elect a new parliament.