German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing renewed pressure after what the Guardian described as a humiliating set of state election results that have left him on “borrowed time” as unrest grows within his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

According to the Guardian, Merz himself called the outcome a “disaster” u2013 and that assessment came even before the full scale of the setback for him and his party became clear following Sunday’s votes in the states of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

In what one outlet characterised as a “power move”, Merz made a highly unusual televised speech just minutes after polls closed. The Guardian reports that he sought to get ahead of the narrative, attempting to shape the story before the results were fully digested.

In that address, the chancellor pledged to stay on and to continue fighting for his economic recovery programme. However, the Guardian notes that his determination to push on is likely to further alienate both voters and members of his own party.

The results add to the political challenges facing Merz, with the Guardian framing the outcome as one that intensifies questions about his leadership and standing within the CDU.