Andrea Innocenti The September 20, 2026, news broadcast revealed the first results from the German regional elections, a night that highlighted a profound transformation in the country's political landscape. On the one hand, the CDU slipped below the 5% threshold in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; on the other, in Berlin, the Left Party took first place with nearly a quarter of the vote, opening up unexpected coalition scenarios.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: CDU falls below 5 percent for the first time
In the northern state, preliminary results put the CDU 's vote at 4,9% , just below the threshold needed to enter the state parliament. This is the party's lowest election result in its history, surpassing the previous record low of 9% recorded in Bremen in 1951.
The defeat marks the first time that the traditional center-right force has failed to gain representation in a state, a break in a continuity that has lasted since the founding of the Federal Republic.
Consequences for possible alliances
With the CDU out of the assembly, the other parties have ruled out any agreement with the AfD which led the regional rankings with 37,9% followed by Manuela Schwesig's SPD at 35,7%.
The AfD's growth is making it more difficult to form a stable majority, pushing the SPD, the Greens, and any smaller groups to explore agreements that exclude the radical right. Outgoing state president Schwesig remains the main bulwark against the far right in eastern Germany.
Berlin: Left Party leads the capital with 24,9%
In the citywide vote, the Left Party (Die Linke) emerged as the leading party with 24,9% , beating the CDU (19,2%) and the AfD (15,8%). The left-wing party came in second, while the AfD gained nearly seven points. The Left Party's candidate, Elif Eralp, a human rights lawyer and daughter of Turkish refugees, announced: "Starting today, we are changing our city; we have written a page in history." Her agenda focuses on affordable housing, greater integration, and a strong opposition to the AfD's migrant expulsion policies.
Government prospects in Berlin
The results would allow for a possible alliance between the Left SPD and the Greens , which together would surpass 50% of the vote. However, the appointment of the new mayor will depend on internal negotiations within the city council, where the three parties will have to agree on a coalition agreement. Stefan Evers, the CDU candidate who replaced Kai Wegner, has finished the race, leaving the capital's political scene to inevitable negotiations among left-wing forces.
National Reflections: The CDU Crisis and the Rise of the AfD
CDU federal leader Friedrich Merz called the defeat in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern a “ disaster ,” but immediately ruled out any retreat, declaring: “I take responsibility, I want to take the country forward.” The statement was followed by calls for his resignation from the AfD, with Alice Weidel commenting: “We have become the strongest party.”
Meanwhile, in Saxony-Anhalt, AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund announced that the party will form the first far-right-led government by the end of the year, news that fuels debate over the CDU's ability to contain the rising tide of right-wing populism. The CDU's absence from a state parliament adds pressure to the party, which has historically produced six of the ten Federal Republic chancellors.