German state election a test for chancellor Friedrich Merz

On Sunday, Germany's CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, faces a crucial state election in Baden-Württemberg, a traditionally CDU stronghold. The party aims to unseat the Green party, which has won the last two elections, while also trying to curb the rise of the far-right AfD. Recent polls show the CDU and Greens neck and neck, with the AfD expected to garner a record vote share in the state. A weak CDU performance would be a setback for Merz, especially with upcoming regional votes where the party hopes to regain voters from the AfD by focusing on migration policy. The election outcome is seen as a test of the CDU's ability to win elections during turbulent times, particularly as Germany's car industry, a major economic force in Baden-Württemberg, faces challenges.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories

Discover articles with similar content using semantic similarity analysis.