Merz Vows to Push On With Reforms Despite Saxony-Anhalt Setback

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reaffirmed his commitment to the reform agenda introduced last year, even as his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), suffered a significant electoral defeat in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The vote, which saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerge victorious, has been widely seen as a rebuke to the national government's current policy direction.

Speaking in Berlin on Monday, Merz acknowledged the sting of the loss but made clear that the setback would not alter his legislative priorities. "That is what we need to deliver on now; it is what I want to deliver on," he said, referring to the reforms already set in motion.

The Chancellor also indicated that he would carry this same resolve into upcoming discussions with the coalition partner, suggesting that the election result would not prompt a fundamental rethink of the government's strategy. The remarks signal a determination to maintain policy continuity despite growing political pressure from the right in the country's east.