Friedrich Merz faces political risk following Russia drone incident accusations

BERLIN, September 3. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is taking a political risk by blaming Russia for the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport, as concerns over a potential escalation with Moscow could hurt his party in upcoming regional elections, Der Spiegel reports.

The magazine notes that "never before has the federal government placed the blame on Russia so quickly and so directly."

"There is no doubt that Merz is taking a risk," Der Spiegel writes, warning that the government’s response could have domestic political consequences.

"Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Berlin are facing important regional parliamentary elections. Many fear an escalation in relations with Russia. Populists know how to use this to their advantage," the article says.

Earlier, Bild reported that the upcoming Landtag elections in Saxony-Anhalt would put Merz and the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) to the test. According to the newspaper, the parties could finish behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD) but might still be able to form a regional government together with the SPD and the Greens.

On September 1, the German government officially blamed Russia for the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced a series of countermeasures. The Russian embassy in Berlin had previously described the incident as a hastily concocted provocation, saying it "serves exclusively the goals of Kiev and the militaristic wing of the European political class."