German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing a very sensitive political week after the harsh defeat suffered by the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) in Saxony-Anhalt, and with the approaching elections in the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, which may bring more challenges for the party.
While Mertz was participating in the Arctic Summit in Finland, he tried to stress that foreign and security policy cannot be separated from internal discussions in Germany, stressing the link between the country's future and the future of Europe.
According to a report on the German Tages Show website of the German Channel 1 (September 15, 2026), the future of the federal government has become a subject of interest and follow-up by Germany’s European partners, who still view Meretz as a reliable partner.
Declining popularity in exchange for leadership support
Despite the decline in the party's popularity, the Chancellor still enjoys public support from prominent leaders in the Christian Democratic Party and the Christian Social Union. The deputy head of the Christian bloc's parliamentary bloc, Matthias Middleberg, confirmed that the discussion about replacing Meretz is not on the table, considering that the real issue is the success of the government and the implementation of reforms.
Federal Family Minister Karen Breen also stressed that changing the chancellor will not solve the problems facing the ruling coalition, calling for a focus on government work rather than controversy over people. According to the Tagesschau report, a large part of the debate within the party revolves more around the pace of reforms than around the person of the chancellor himself.
Söder's support is still there...but trust is no longer absolute
Despite continued official support, the atmosphere within the conservative camp reveals growing concern about Meretz's ability to regain the initiative. Bavarian Prime Minister and head of the Christian Social Union, Markus Söder, announced that he still sees Meretz as the "appropriate advisor," stressing his support for the path of reforms.
But at the same time, he was keen to point out that he was not responsible for the internal affairs of the Christian Democratic Union, which was interpreted within party circles as more cautious support than enthusiastic defense.
According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the fact that Söder had to announce his support in this way reflects the extent of the rumors and unrest prevailing within the conservative coalition. The newspaper also points out that Meretz's influence within the party has suffered a clear decline after the recent electoral setbacks, and that its ability to contain internal tensions is no longer what it was before, especially with the approaching Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elections, which may bring additional pressure on the leadership.
Internal conflicts and tension with the Social Democratic Party
In addition to electoral pressures, the CDU leadership faces increasing internal problems. The method of dealing with the resignation of Deputy Secretary-General Christina Stomp sparked widespread discussions within the party, after the official announcement of her departure took longer than expected, amid attempts to find an alternative political position for her within the party structures.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper reported that this issue has become a model cited within the party to indicate the difficulty of managing organizational differences at the current stage.
At the same time, tensions rose within the ruling coalition after the attack launched by Christian von Stetten, head of the SMEs bloc in the Union's parliamentary group, on the Social Democratic Party and Labor Minister Barbel Bass. Von Stetten accused the leadership of the partner party of obstructing the necessary reforms, which increased pressure on the chancellor to implement his reform promises more quickly.
These disagreements coincide with increasing demands within the union’s ranks to make amendments to the economic reform package, especially in the tax and energy files, while the Social Democratic Party clings to priorities related to retirement and health care, which makes managing the coalition more difficult. According to what was reported by the Tages Schau website, many of the union’s leaders are calling for accelerating reforms so that their results become tangible among citizens and are reflected in the government’s popularity.
Rumors of change... and no clear alternative on the horizon
Party scenes reveal a growing state of discontent within the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the party's and MPs' communication groups are witnessing increasing discussions about the future of the leadership, with multiple scenarios being circulated ranging from changing the chancellor and restructuring the government, all the way to speculation about the possibility of establishing a minority government without the Social Democratic Party.
However, these proposals collide with a basic fact, which is the absence of a figure who will come forward publicly to challenge Meretz or present himself as an alternative to him. Many Union representatives also believe that a minority government could practically lead to greater dependence on the votes of the Alternative for Germany party, a scenario rejected by most leaders of the conservative camp.
On the other hand, some party leaders continue to stress that the solution does not lie in changing people, but rather in accelerating reforms and showing tangible results to citizens.
As the next regional elections approach, it seems that these elections will be a decisive test not only for the popularity of the Union, but also for Friedrich Merz’s political future and his ability to maintain his position within the party and the government, according to German newspapers.
Edited by: Hassan Zenand
