Merkel Calls AfD's Saxony-Anhalt Win Shocking as CDU Suffers Deeper-Than-Expected Losses
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Sep 8
Merkel Calls AfD's Saxony-Anhalt Win Shocking as CDU Suffers Deeper-Than-Expected Losses
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Sep 8
Summary
Angela Merkel said her "heart bleeds" as a CDU member after the AfD won Saxony-Anhalt by a wide margin and her party performed worse than expected.
At a Cologne appearance, the former chancellor called the result "a real cut in modern German history" and urged politicians to rethink how they communicate with voters.
Merkel warned that voters were increasingly privileging feelings over facts, citing Saxony-Anhalt despite falling unemployment and rising reported wellbeing.
The backlash spread beyond party politics: about 9,000 people marched in Cologne against the AfD, while economists also voiced concern over the election outcome.