James Mackenzie

Merz was one of the targets of voter ire over cost of living, pensions and economic insecurity.

Much depends on whether enough of the AfD's opponents can enter parliament.

Voters in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt go to the polls on Sunday in an election where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is hoping to ​win power for the first time and mark a historic shift in German politics.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that a victory for the far-right AfD party in next week's regional election in ​Saxony-Anhalt would damage the eastern state and deter foreign companies from ‌investing there.

Lower Saxony premier urges agreement on VW restructuring before board meeting

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday Berlin was preparing a response to the suspected drone attack on a ​Ukrainian cargo plane in Leipzig this month in ‌coordination with its European and NATO partners.

Germany's cabinet approved measures on Wednesday to grant intelligence services new powers to hack communications and disrupt foreign adversaries' ​operations to counter what officials say is a growing threat from cyber and hybrid attacks.

A senior member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling conservatives faced pressure to resign on Friday after having a baby born through ​a surrogate mother in the United States, contrary to his own ‌party's opposition to surrogacy.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined a package of pension, tax and labour reforms on Thursday, along with measures to cut red tape that he said would boost growth, jobs and competitiveness while ​maintaining social welfare protections.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz aims to ​have a planned ‌overhaul of the pension system passed in parliament by ​the end of ​the year, he said ⁠on Wednesday.