Merz clings on after German election 'disaster'

BERLIN, Sept 21: Chancellor Friedrich Merz was clinging to power on Monday after his conservative party tumbled to its worst regional election defeat in postwar Germany and members of his coalition clashed over his unpopular reform agenda.

Merz himself described Sunday's loss in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a "disaster" as his party for the first time missed the 5% threshold for entering a state parliament. This even occurred in a state that was the former stronghold of Merz's predecessor and party rival, Angela Merkel.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place. While it fell well short of a majority, it was the second time the party had topped a state election within a month, which it sees as building momentum towards national power.�" REUTERS