The Left wins Berlin and the AfD tops the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in German state elections
20 September 2026
Two German states voted on Sunday 20 September 2026, with preliminary results released on Monday.
In Berlin, the Left Party under lead candidate Elif Eralp won 25.7% of the second votes, ahead of the CDU (18.8%), the AfD (16.3%) and the SPD (12.1%); it was the party's first win in the city-state.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 38.2%, ahead of the SPD at 35.5%.
The AfD had also come first in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September with 43.8%.
The results added to pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose CDU fared badly in both states.
In plain words
AfD Alternative for Germany — A far-right German party, strongest in the former communist east.
CDU Christian Democratic Union — Germany's main centre-right party, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Second vote — In German elections, the vote cast for a party list, which decides the share of seats.