00:00German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU has suffered major setbacks in two state elections,
00:05according to exit polls.
00:07In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, exit polls put the CDU at just 5.5% of the vote, its
00:14worst result in a German state election since 1949.
00:18Meanwhile, the AfD made significant gains in that state as first polls put it at 37%.
00:24In Berlin, exit polls put the left party in the lead with 24.5% ahead of the CDU at
00:3120%,
00:32while the AfD stood at 16%.
00:35The results add to the pressure on Merz following the AfD's strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt two
00:40weeks ago.
00:41The Chancellor acknowledged this party's result as a disaster, but rejected any retreat from
00:46his government's reform agenda and said he intended to remain CDU leader.
00:51Merz became Germany's leader 16 months ago, promising to revive an economy that has barely
00:56grown in years, but has failed to lift the national mood and has become deeply unpopular.
01:01But it is at the end of the end of the day.
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