Germany’s democratic socialist party, formed in 2007 from PDS and WASG, active in state and federal politics.
Jens Spahn has stepped down as parliamentary group leader of Germany’s CDU/CSU after revelations he and his husband used a US surrogate to become parents. The move follows internal party pressure and raises questions about credibility and surrogacy policy in Germany.
The AfD has surged in Saxony-Anhalt, threatening to win an outright majority in the state election. CDU trails and coalition dynamics loom as parties weigh their options in the wake of a results shock that could reshape Germany’s political landscape.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won almost 44% in Saxony-Anhalt, threatening to form Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II. Minorities fear an uptick in hostility and calls grow to curb the party. Several eastern and western states vote soon, testing coalition dynamics and Germany’s post-war memory culture.
Regional ballots in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have shown heavy losses for Friedrich Merz’s CDU and strong gains for the far-right AfD, following the AfD’s landslide in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks earlier. Merz has cancelled travel, called a CDU leadership meeting and cleared his calendar as party figures warn the results will increase pressure on his leadership today, 20 Sep 2026.
Regional elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin show the CDU losing ground to the AfD, with Merz under pressure as coalition dynamics shift and economic frustration grows. The AfD leads inMecklenburg-Vorpommern and gains momentum nationwide, while Berlin hints at coalition recalibration.
Voters in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have delivered a severe setback for the CDU and boosted the AfD, while Berlin’s ballot shows Die Linke gaining ground. Merz vows to push ahead with reforms as the far-right gains momentum across Germany.
Die Linke has won Berlin’s state election, with Elif Eralp at the center of a historic win that could lead to Berlin’s first Left-led government since reunification. The campaign centers on affordable housing, rent controls and migrants’ inclusion, while the party faces questions over its stance on Israel and its relationship with potential coalition partners.