https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/far-right-afd-wins-again-as-germany-s-merz-slidesContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/far-right-afd-wins-again-as-germany-s-merz-slideshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/far-right-afd-wins-again-as-germany-s-merz-slides#u81405Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:57:55 +0000German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a severe political crisis following a historic defeat for his ruling Christian Democratic Union in regional state elections. Populist and far-right parties made substantial gains, leading Merz to publicly characterize the outcome as a disaster. The erosion of the German political center threatens national stability, pro-growth economic reforms, and the broader implementation of an ambitious European Union budget deal. Despite the mounting pressure from these consecutive regional losses and a weakening grip on power, no immediate leadership challenge has m