Germany: Far right lead in upcoming state election polls

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged people to actively defend democracy and freedom, warning that democratic principles cannot be taken for granted.

"There's no free lunch — nothing comes for free," Merkel told around 1,200 people at a reading from her memoir "Freedom" in Peenemünde on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom.

"You are getting a small assignment too," the former leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) told the audience.

Merkel read from a passage in her book in which she argues that truth and lies are increasingly being deliberately blurred, including by people in positions of power in democratic countries.

"Freedom needs democratic conditions. Without democracy, there is no freedom," Merkel said.

She urged people to defend democratic institutions against those who threaten them.

"If we want to live in freedom, we have to defend our democracy against those who threaten it," Merkel said.

She added that this could succeed "if we work together, if we get involved together, each of us individually and all of us for one another."

Merkel acknowledged that some of the decisions made during her time in office had contributed to support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), including her response to the 2015 refugee crisis and her policies during the eurozone debt crisis.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ahead of next week's state election, according to a new poll for broadcaster ZDF released Friday.

The survey comes days after the AfD won the state election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered a major defeat.

The "Forschungsgruppe Wahlen" poll puts the AfD at 37%, three points ahead of state Premier Manuela Schwesig's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) at 34%.

The CDU polled at just 7% — which if reflected on election day would be its worst result in a state election since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The socialist Left Party is at 10%, while the environmentalist Greens are at 5% and the left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) at 4%.

Parties generally need at least 5% to enter the state parliament.

State Premier Schwesig nevertheless remains well ahead of AfD lead candidate Leif-Erik Holm personally in polling. Some 61% said they would prefer her as state premier, compared with 28% for Holm.

However, based on the polling ⁠data, it would not be enough to continue the current SPD-Left Party coalition. Schwesig might have to rely on a third coalition partner to remain as premier. 

Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn.

You join us as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ahead of the state election, according to a new poll.

The poll puts the AfD on 37%, three points ahead of the governing center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Meanwhile, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged people to actively defend democracy and freedom.

Merkel said democracy had to be defended against those who threaten it, adding that this would only work if people became involved themselves.

Stay with us here for these stories and more of what Germany is talking about today.