Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Hold Elections That Could Decide Merz's Fate

On Sunday, September 20, 2026, voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are casting ballots in state elections. In Berlin, 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed to vote for the first time in the election for the city's Abgeordnetenhaus (state parliament). The results are widely seen as a test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with some headlines describing the outcome as potentially deciding his political survival.

Political scientist Thorsten Faas and RBB reporter Kerstin Breinig are providing analysis of the Berlin vote. The elections come as Merz faces criticism within his own coalition, with one headline quoting a source saying Merz announces things he already knows he cannot deliver. The CDU, AfD, and SPD are the main parties in contention.