State election, 4 September 2016 – Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany: AfD beats Merkel party in regional elections | Politicians blame Merkel’s refugee policy for defeat in regional elections

The governing centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) won the state election held in Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania on the 4 September 2016.

However, the greater significance from the election result was that CDU, the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, was pushed into third place by the spectacular rise of the anti-immigrant and anti-Islam party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) who gathered 21% of the vote and came second.

Chancellor Merkel's policy of 2015 of opening Germany's doors to asylum seekers and not closing the borders of the country was seen as the major factor in the result. She came under pressure from other CDU politicans and the CSU sister party.

• Primary Source

Wikipedia: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election, 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_state_election,_2016

ESO: Background information: Sigmar Gabriel, the ‘kamikaze’ candidate http://www.europeansources.info/record/sigmar-gabriel-the-kamikaze-candidate/

ESO: Background information: Do refugees pose a terrorist threat? http://www.europeansources.info/record/do-refugees-pose-a-terrorist-threat/

ESO: Background information: Under-fire Merkel defends migration policy http://www.europeansources.info/record/under-fire-merkel-defends-migration-policy/

Politico, 04.09.16: Far-right AfD overtakes Merkel’s conservatives in regional vote http://www.politico.eu/article/far-right-afd-overtakes-merkels-conservatives-in-regional-vote/

EurActiv, 05.09.16: Merkel beaten into third place in home state election http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/merkel-beaten-into-third-place-in-home-state-election/

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

The Local.de, 05.09.16: Merkel under pressure after poll defeat to far-right AfD http://www.thelocal.de/20160905/merkel-under-pressure-after-poll-defeat-to-anti-migrant-party

EUObserver, 05.09.16: Anti-immigrant party beats Merkel's CDU https://euobserver.com/news/134906

The Wall Street Journal, 02.09.16: State Election Could Signal Big Changes in German Politics http://www.wsj.com/articles/state-election-could-signal-big-changes-in-german-politics-1472832301

The Guardian, 05.09.16: Angela Merkel's party beaten by rightwing populists in German elections https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/04/mecklenburg-vorpommern-german-anti-immigrant-party-strong-regional-election-exit-polls-merkel

BBC News, 05.09.16: Angela Merkel's CDU suffers Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania poll blow http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37271971

RFI, 05.09.16: France's Le Pen welcomes German hard-right state election gain http://en.rfi.fr/europe/20160905-frances-le-pen-welcomes-german-hard-right-state-election-gain

Euronews, 04.09.16: Merkel's CDU beaten into third place by anti-migrant AFD - exit poll http://www.euronews.com/2016/09/04/exit-poll-suggests-angela-merkel-s-cdu-has-lost-out-to-the-afd-and-come-third-in-state-election-in-mecklenburg-west-pomerania

Politico, 05.09.16: Bavarian politicians: Merkel, refugee policy responsible for far-right rise http://www.politico.eu/article/bavarian-politicians-merkel-refugee-policy-responsible-for-far-right-rise-state-elections/

Euro|Topics: Debates, September 2016: How should other parties respond to AfD? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/165511/how-should-other-parties-respond-to-afd

Blog: Open Europe, 05.09.16: AfD delivers another shock, but don’t rush to write Merkel off http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/afd-delivers-another-shock-but-dont-rush-to-write-merkel-off/

Politico, 05.09.16: Angela Merkel stands by refugee policy despite AfD gains http://www.politico.eu/article/german-chancellor-angela-merkel-stands-by-migrant-refugee-policy-despite-afd-gains-mecklenburg-vorpommern-regional-elections/

The Local.de, 05.09.16: Merkel takes responsibility for party's election defeat http://www.thelocal.de/20160905/afd-success-is-nightmare-come-true-jewish-leader

Spiegel Online International, 05.09.16: The Rise of the Populists: A Problem for Merkel and Germany http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/rise-of-populist-afd-a-problem-for-merkel-and-germany-a-1110954.html

Deutsche Welle, 05.09.16: Who is the Alternative for Germany? http://dw.com/p/1JvsQ

EUObserver, 05.09.16: Merkel vows to win back voters, sticks to migration policy https://euobserver.com/news/134921

Euro|Topics: Debates, September 2016: Will Merkel change course? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/165599/will-merkel-change-course

EUObserver, 07.09.16: Merkel warns German parties against populism https://euobserver.com/political/134948

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