German Chancellor Merz calls state election a 'disaster' for his party but vows to stay on
Exit polls show damaging losses for Merz's centre-right CDU party in the states of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Merz delivered a statement shortly after exit polls were announced from Berlin and Mecklenburg- Vorpommern
Embattled German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to stay on despite exit polls in two local elections suggesting damaging defeats for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.
In the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the party was projected to only just scrape into parliament, while the AfD was on track to win the most votes. Merz called the result "a disaster" for his party.
As the projected results came up on the screen at the CDU's election night gathering in Berlin, there were no cheers or celebration.