There are situations in which politicians who have little left to say to each other still appear together before the press. This was certainly the case when Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and his party colleague, Sven Schulze, the state premier of Saxony-Anhalt, discussed the results of Sunday's state election. They described the results as a catastrophe for the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) — an earthquake, a disaster. Merz appeared shaken and devastated, to put it mildly.

He thanked Schulze for his work during the campaign. Then Merz added: "Not only did something change in Saxony-Anhalt yesterday but throughout all of Germany. It will have repercussions, including on the international stage."

This is because the victors in the state election, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), oppose supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression, and many AfD politicians maintain close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin's government, Merz explained.

No regard for the rule of law?

Speaking about the AfD, Merz adopted an almost confrontational tone. Majorities can change, he said, and democrats must always be aware of that and accept it.

But, Merz said, it is shocking that 60% of voters in Saxony-Anhalt chose parties that disregard the rule of law in Germany. Merz was talking about not only the AfD but also the socialist Left Party and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which split off from the Left Party over issues that align the BSW with the AfD.

In contrast, the chancellor said his government will always defend the values of the German constitution: "In our country, these values are not up for debate. Power is granted, not seized. And the minority is not the enemy of the majority."

Historians have long described the Nazis' rise to power in the German Reich as a "seizure of power," which is why Merz's statement is sure to be the subject of much discussion.

Seeking to reassure Germany's international partners in the EU and NATO, he said, "We know that Germany bears a special responsibility because of its history. We will always defend our political order and our firm anchoring in Europe."

Could CDU politicians in Saxony-Anhalt help the AfD come to power?

Standing next to him, Schulze remained silent. On election night the previous evening, long after his defeat had become clear, Schulze repeatedly emphasized in numerous statements that the public's widespread dissatisfaction with the Merz government in Berlin had dealt him a massive blow.

As for now, the worst-case scenario has narrowly been averted: the AfD does not have an absolute majority in the Magdeburg state parliament — but only by the narrowest of margins.

And this is a problem for Friedrich Merz: Dissatisfaction is growing, even within his own ranks. Can he prevent individual CDU lawmakers in Saxony-Anhalt from voting — against the official party line — to elect Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD election winner, as head of government?

If not, then both of Merz's seats of power would be in serious jeopardy: his position as chairman of the party and his seat in the Chancellery.

Merz defends his controversial reforms

However, as of today, Merz is still defending the difficult reforms his government has undertaken. One such reform is the overhaul of the chronically deficit-ridden pension system, which will bring great hardship to many people in Germany and faced fierce opposition during the election campaign.

On election night, Vice Chancellor and center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Lars Klingbeil suggested reassessing the reforms following the defeat of the coalition government in Berlin. However, Merz has not mentioned such a change in course.

AfD displays confidence

Hours before the chancellor's appearance at the CDU headquarters, the AfD took to the stage at the Federal Press Conference. The top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, sarcastically thanked the media, which had largely portrayed him during the campaign as a threat to democracy and the rule of law. 

"It was also thanks to you that we made it," Siegmund said, adding, "Thank you very much for the great coverage during this election campaign."

For example, the influential news magazine Der Spiegel had recently labeled the AfD politician "Germany's most dangerous man" in a widely circulated cover story.

Siegmund then looked out triumphantly at the packed hall and declared, "Never before has there been such a wide gap between those members of the media who seek to dictate to us here in Saxony-Anhalt how we should live and the reality of life for the people in this state."

But Siegmund avoided the question about whether the election result is a clear mandate for his party to form a government — even one without a majority of its own, if necessary, or possibly with the tacit support of the economically left, populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).

Siegmund, however, has said he does not want to be a partner in a coalition — he wants absolute power, and he doesn't have it. The situation in Saxony-Anhalt will surely be the subject of much discussion for many days, perhaps even weeks, to come.

This article has been translated from German.