# AfD Wins Again as CDU Wiped Out, Far-Left Tops Berlin

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/afd-wins-again-as-cdu-wiped-out-far-left-tops-berlin
- Published: 2026-09-24T01:14:57.740820+00:00
- Topics: germany, afd, far-right, elections, european-politics

## What the left says
- The CDU's historic collapse in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania shows that Merz's strategy of chasing right-wing voters by hardening rhetoric on migration has backfired, driving voters further right rather than reclaiming them.
- Die Linke's first-place finish in Berlin, more than doubling its vote share, reflects deep public frustration with housing costs, inequality, and stagnant wages that mainstream parties have failed to address.
- AfD's continued rise despite domestic intelligence monitoring it as a suspected extremist organization underscores the urgency of maintaining the political 'firewall' rather than normalizing cooperation with the party.
- Weidel's calls for the CDU to abandon the firewall and her claim to have replaced it as Germany's mainstream party should be seen as a dangerous bid to mainstream extremism, not a legitimate governing partnership.

## What the right says
- AfD's steady growth across multiple state elections, including nearly 44% in Saxony-Anhalt and 38% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, shows a genuine and growing electoral mandate that establishment parties can no longer dismiss as fringe.
- The CDU's total wipeout in a state parliament for the first time in its history reflects a broader rejection of Merz's leadership and his failure to deliver on promises to cut AfD support in half.
- Voters are expressing frustration with mass migration, economic stagnation, and a political establishment seen as out of touch, and the AfD is capitalizing on issues the CDU has failed to seriously confront.
- Weidel's call for CDU-AfD dialogue, especially in eastern Germany, reflects a legitimate argument that excluding the leading vote-getter from governance undermines democratic representation.

## Common ground
- AfD won the most votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with about 38% support, and the CDU fell below the 5% threshold and lost all parliamentary representation there.
- Die Linke finished first in Berlin with 25.7% of the vote, more than doubling its previous result and beating the CDU by about seven points.
- Chancellor Merz publicly called the results a 'disaster' for his party while vowing to remain in office and push forward with his reform agenda.
- The results mark a significant shift in Germany's political landscape and increase pressure on the CDU's long-standing policy of refusing to govern with the AfD.

## Sources
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-21-0700/world-afd-wins-another-key-state-merzs-cdu-track-be-wiped-out-mecklenburg) (Center)
- [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/21/germany-election-results-afd-merz) (Lean Left)
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-21-0700/world-far-left-wins-berlin-state-election-far-right-afd-germanys-northeast) (Center)
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-21-0700/world-german-elections-deal-blow-chancellor-friedrich-merz) (Center)
- [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2026/09/20/german-far-right-party-comes-out-ahead-in-second-state-election/) (Lean Right)
- [Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion](https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/09/germanys-afd-scores-another-state-victory-chancellor-merz-calls-outcome-a-disaster/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=germanys-afd-scores-another-state-victory-chancellor-merz-calls-outcome-a-disaster) (Unknown)
- [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2026/09/21/g-s1-144231/germany-state-elections-merz) (Lean Left)
- [RealClearPolitics](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2026/09/21/merz_pushes_on_despite_latest_german_election_humiliation_711701.html) (Center)
- [Breitbart](https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/09/21/one-in-two-young-female-voters-backed-radical-socialist-die-linke-party-in-berlin-elections/) (Unknown)
- [Jacobin](https://jacobin.com/2026/09/die-linke-antisemitism-accusations-berlin) (Left)
- [The Economist](https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/07/11/checks-and-balance-newsletter-the-weirdness-of-american-socialism) (Lean Right)

---
Content by TwoTakes (https://twotakes.us). You may quote, summarize and cite it, including in AI answers, as long as you credit TwoTakes and link the story URL. Original reporting belongs to the linked outlets. Summaries are AI-assisted and reviewed for balance; check the original sources for authoritative reporting.