CDU Chairman Merz reacted to the Saxony-Anhalt election results

Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU) Chairman Merz held a joint press conference with Saxony-Anhalt Prime Minister Sven Schulze after his party's Federal Executive Board meeting in Berlin.

Regarding the election result, Merz said, "We are all in deep shock. We did not expect such a result." he said.

Stating that the result should be accepted as part of democratic rules, Merz said that it is not possible to return to daily business as if nothing had happened.

"This is the heaviest electoral defeat the CDU has suffered in years, even decades," Merz said. he said.

Stating that people's ability to change their political attitudes is the essence of democracy, Merz said, "There is something that is not open to voting, and that is our rules of living together and the values ​​guaranteed in the constitution." he said.

Emphasizing that Germany bears a special responsibility arising from its history, Merz underlined that they will continue to protect the country's political and constitutional order.

Following the election result, Merz said that Germany needed radical reforms and that the government should better explain the decisions it made and their reasons to the public.

Stating that he is aware of his personal responsibility towards his country, Merz underlined that he is determined to fulfill this responsibility.

When asked whether he considered "personal consequences", Merz said: "Giving up is not an option for me." he replied.

AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt elections

AfD won the state parliamentary elections in Saxony-Anhalt with 43.8 percent of the votes, but could not obtain the majority required to come to power on its own.

According to the provisional official results announced by the state election board, AfD came out on top by a wide margin, receiving 43.8 percent of the votes.

The AfD recorded its strongest result in the state parliament election, more than doubling the 20.8 percent vote share in the 2021 election.

The Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU) became the second party with 17.2 percent of the votes, losing 19.9 points compared to 2021.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD), which increased its vote by 0.9 points compared to the previous election, ranked third with 9.3 percent.