Eight German state premiers reaffirm their support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz

The premiers of eight German states led by members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) reaffirmed their support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday, in order to put an end to speculation about his possible early withdrawal. The message comes after conservatives' poor results in the recent regional elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.

In a joint statement, the state leaders argued that Germany needs stability “more than ever” and called for the party to focus on political action and regaining voters' trust, rather than on discussions about changing the leadership.

The letter was signed by the premiers of Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Thuringia, Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse, Saxony-Anhalt and Berlin. Support for Merz was also expressed by Markus Söder, the premier of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the CDU's sister party.

The conservatives have called an extraordinary meeting for Sunday, aimed at coordinating the party's response to the election results and demonstrating the formation's unity around the chancellor.

The public support comes in a sensitive political context, ahead of elections to be held next year in several European countries, including Poland, Italy, Spain, Greece and France.