Merz's chemistry has been disrupted
09:00, 23/09/2026, Wednesday
Yeni Şafak
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz is facing mounting pressure after his party suffered a crushing defeat in weekend elections in two key states, with a new poll showing that a majority of Germans want him to resign. Merz, who accused his Berlin election rival of antisemitism, described the CDU's failure to clear the 5 percent threshold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as a dramatic first for his party.
Speaking after the votes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, Merz pointed to the rise of marginal parties and labeled both the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left Party as "destructive forces." He said colleagues in the European Union and investors had been asking him for weeks what was happening in Germany. "What worries me most is not only in Berlin, but especially in Berlin, an antisemitism that has been growing in recent months, is radical and openly expressed, and is almost applauded in Berlin," Merz said. "And the fact that some parts of society do not object to this really disturbs me deeply." He claimed that life for Jews in Germany, particularly in Berlin, was no longer safe and pledged to do everything in his power to ensure their security, without naming the Left Party and its candidate Elif Eralp directly.
Jewish lobby and Israeli envoy back Merz's rhetoric
Merz's remarks came in parallel with attacks from Germany's Jewish lobby and Israel targeting the Left Party and Eralp. Josef Schuster, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, called on the Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens a day after the election not to form a government with the Left Party, citing alleged antisemitic slogans during the campaign and insufficient action against Jew-hatred within the party. Israel's ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, argued that the Left Party's election success should cause serious concern for the Jewish community, warning of a "direct existential danger" to Jewish life in Berlin—language nearly identical to Merz's. The SPD and Greens have also made the Left Party's stance on antisemitism a condition for coalition talks.
Left Party rejects accusations as political smear
The Left Party rejects the antisemitism allegations, saying they are used to silence or stigmatize political opponents. Co-leader Ines Schwerdtner said criticism of the Israeli government must be separated from anti-Jewish sentiment, accusing the CDU of exploiting the issue for political gain. "This is unacceptable," she said, urging the CDU to question the consequences of its own policies. Eralp, the Left Party's candidate for Berlin state premier, denied being antisemitic and said criticism of the Israeli government should not be instrumentalized.
Majority of Germans want Merz to step down, poll shows
Meanwhile, a current "Trendbarometer" survey by polling firm Forsa for RTL/ntv television found that 55 percent of respondents want Merz to leave office, while 40 percent favor him staying on.