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Friedrich Merz

German Chancellor and leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz addresses a press conference, one day after state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Berlin on September 21, 2026. (Jens SCHLUETER/AFP)
September 21, 2026, 7:24 pm
Merz defiant after huge defeats in 2 state elections, says Germany’s ‘democratic future’ at stake, Jewish life ‘no longer safe’
Leading far-right candidate predicts chancellor ‘won’t make it to the end of the year’; Merz cancels trip to UN, as his junior coalition partner says ‘things can’t go on’
By Frank Zeller
AfD party leader Alice Weidel, center, walks behind top candidates Leif-Erik Holm and Kristin Brinker before a press conference of the “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) in Berlin, Germany, after the previous day's two state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, September 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
September 21, 2026, 7:23 pm
Far-right AfD tops a German state election for second time in a month; Merz rues ‘disaster’
AfD wins almost 40% in eastern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; party seen by Jewish groups as harboring antisemitism leads in national opinion polls but has been kept from power by the other main parties’ refusal to work with it
By Oliver Denzer and James Mackenzie
A man casts his vote at a polling station during the Berlin state election in Berlin, Germany, September 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
September 20, 2026, 12:53 pm
Eyes on far-right AfD, far-left Berlin candidate as Germans vote in two state elections
AfD seen as unlikely to win either of Sunday’s elections, but expected to make gains in latest challenge to leader Friedrich Merz; far-left Eralp leading in Berlin mayoral poll
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Top candidate Ulrich Siegmund and party leaders Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, speak to party members in front of a reading, 'It starts here,' at an election party of the 'Alternative for Germany' (AfD) after the Saxony-Anhalt state elections in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, September 6, 2026. (AP Photo/ Matthias Schrader)
September 15, 2026, 2:43 am
Germany’s far-right AfD makes gains in local vote, but is fended off by mainstream slates
Nationalist, anti-immigrant party triples its support from five years ago in Lower Saxony’s local elections, coming third in race won by Germany’s leading conservative party
By Shira Li Bartov
Top candidate Ulrich Siegmund shows thumbs up beside party leaders Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, from left, at an election party of the “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) after the Saxony-Anhalt state election in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, September 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
September 7, 2026, 6:24 am
Germany’s far-right AfD wins big at state election, but falls just short of majority
Anti-migrant party three seats shy of outright victory in Saxony-Anhalt; even if it doesn’t form government in eastern state, result is massive blow to Merz
By Geir Moulson and Kerstin Sopke
Ulrich Siegmund, the main candidate for the far-right Alternative for Germany at the Saxony-Anhalt state election, and AfD co-leader Alice Weidel celebrate after exit polls following Saxony-Anhalt’s state elections at the fairgrounds in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, on September 6, 2026. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP)
September 6, 2026, 8:59 pm
Exit polls show big win for Germany’s far-right AfD in state election, but government elusive
Exit polls show it winning 44% of vote, but too early to tell if victory will pave way for country’s first far-right state government since WWII, as all major parties have ruled out cooperation
By Agencies
Ulrich Siegmund, top candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and his wife Julia Siegmund cast their votes for the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in Tangermuende, eastern Germany on September 6, 2026. (John MACDOUGALL/AFP)
September 6, 2026, 11:29 am
Polls open in German vote that could bring first far-right state government since WWII
Saxony-Anhalt election could break mainstream parties’ longstanding firewall against the anti-migration AfD party, delivering a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz
By Agencies
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement prior to the start of a retreat meeting of the German cabinet on August 25, 2026 in Neuhardenberg, northeastern Germany. (John MacDougall/AFP)
August 25, 2026, 2:51 pm
Merz vows perpetrators of attempted drone attack on German airport ‘will pay’
Chancellor says Berlin will soon reveal those responsible for plot targeting NATO and Ukrainian military logistics hub; Russian intelligence suspected, Moscow denies involvement
By Agencies
From left, Family Minister Karin Prien, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt carry flowers as they visit Tiergarten park after an attacker rammed a vehicle into a crowd near Berlin’s annual Pride event, in Berlin, July 26, 2026. (Annegret Hilse/Pool Photo via AP)
July 27, 2026, 7:00 pm
Merz vows action after Berlin Pride attack amid outcry that suspect was not in jail
Assailant, German of Lebanese descent, was recently convicted of preparing violent act, was suspected of trying to join ISIS, but was out of prison; far right calls for crackdown
By Agencies
Police officers remove a vehicle that drove into a crowd near Berlin’s annual Pride event, in Berlin, Germany, July 26, 2026. (Annegret Hilse/Pool Photo via AP)
July 26, 2026, 7:50 pm
Suspect in deadly Berlin Pride attack shot dead by police after daylong search
Police in suburb of German capital say Lebanese-German Abdul Ballout, 21, shot after charging at officers with sharp object; car-ramming attack killed one, injured dozens
By Geir Moulson, Kirsten Grieshaber and STEFANIE DAZIO
Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party speaks at a campaign rally in front of the Berlin City Hall on June 29, 2026. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP)
July 3, 2026, 12:52 pm
Far-right Alternative for Germany buoyant as it eyes slice of power in regional elections
Anti-migration nationalist party upbeat ahead of weekend summit despite expected protests, as it looks to take state government in Saxony-Anhalt in September vote
By Geir Moulson
President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Miami International Airport, in Miami, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
May 3, 2026, 9:22 am
Trump says US to withdraw significantly more than 5,000 troops from Germany
‘We’re going to cut way down,’ US president says, amid rift with NATO over Iran war; troop pullout plan faces bipartisan resistance
By Kirsten Grieshaber, Emma Burrows and AAMER MADHANI
US President Donald Trump meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on March 3, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)
May 2, 2026, 4:25 pm
NATO seeks clarity as US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany amid rift with Europe
Trump says he is considering pulling US troops from Italy and Spain as well, due to their opposition to the war against Iran; NATO says it shows Europe’s need to invest in defense
By W.G. Dunlop
US Vice President JD Vance visits with service members during a refueling stop at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 24, 2025. (Kenny Holston/Pool Photo via AP)
May 2, 2026, 3:28 am
US pulling 5,000 troops from Germany amid spat with Trump over Iran war
Senior Pentagon official says German rhetoric against Washington’s policy ‘inappropriate and unhelpful’; withdrawal to be completed within 6-12 months
By Reuters
US President Donald Trump, right, greets Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz during summit to support ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, October 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)
April 29, 2026, 5:35 am
Trump fires back at Merz after German leader says Iran ‘humiliating’ US over talks
US president accuses German chancellor, who said ‘Iranians are obviously… very skillful at not negotiating,’ of ‘thinking it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon’
By Agencies
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