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OUTLETS DISAGREEMonday 21 September 2026

Outlets disagree: Exact percentage of CDU vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

abc.net.au (5%); irishtimes.com (just over 5%); rte.ie (5.5%); washingtonexaminer.com (4.9%) the full text

As published

11 pages captured at the time, in each outlet's own typography. Open one to read the copy held outside the publisher's control.

abc.net.au as published: German leader Merz clings on after election 'disaster'abc.net.au2026-09-21 14:34:58breakingnews.ie as published: Friedrich Merz vows to stay on despite ‘disaster’ for his party in German state electionsbreakingnews.ie2026-09-21 14:34:58irishtimes.com as published: Friedrich Merz vows to stay on despite ‘disaster’ for his party in German state electionsirishtimes.com2026-09-21 14:34:58rte.ie as published: Merz laments vote 'disaster' as AfD surges in electionsrte.ie2026-09-21 14:34:58washingtonexaminer.com as published: Friedrich Merz says he will stay in power despite another loss to AfD: ‘Disaster’washingtonexaminer.com2026-09-21 14:34:58reuters.com as published: Germany's far-right AfD leads race in north-east state, exit poll showsreuters.com2026-09-21 14:34:58upi.com as published: Far-right AfD poised to finish atop vote in another German stateupi.com2026-09-21 14:34:58axios.com as published: Far-right AfD wins again as Germany's Merz slidesaxios.com2026-09-21 14:34:58dw.com as published: Can popular state premier Schwesig hold off the far-right AfD?dw.com2026-09-21 14:34:58theguardian.com as published: German chancellor clinging to power after another loss to far-right AfDtheguardian.com2026-09-21 14:34:58timesofisrael.com as published: Eyes on far-right AfD, far-left Berlin candidate as Germans vote in two state electionstimesofisrael.com2026-09-21 14:34:58

What this entry found

  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Exact percentage of SPD vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

    • rte.ie (35.5%)
    • washingtonexaminer.com (35%)
    • upi.com (35.4%)
    the full text
  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Exact percentage of AfD vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

    • irishtimes.com (nearly 38%)
    • rte.ie (37%)
    • washingtonexaminer.com (38%)
    • upi.com (38.3%)
    the full text
  • WHO COULD READ IT

    washingtonexaminer.com put this behind a wall. abc.net.au, cbc.ca, dw.com did not.

    • Recorded as served to a reader who was not signed in. Outlets have to be paid
    • what this changes is which account a reader could reach without paying.
  • ONLY ONE OUTLET HAD THIS

    irishtimes.com carried 5 details no other outlet reported.

    • The CDU's result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was its worst-ever state score
    • The AfD's result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania more than doubled its previous score
    • The AfD is described as anti-immigration and pro-Russia or Kremlin-friendly
    • Merz is described as 'deeply unpopular'
    • Speculation about Merz's ability to hold on as chancellor reached fever pitch after Saxony-Anhalt

Who could read this

  • washingtonexaminer.com served a subscription wall to a reader who was not signed in.
  • abc.net.au, cbc.ca, dw.com, irishtimes.com, rte.ie, theguardian.com, timesofisrael.com, upi.com served the full article to the same reader.
  • This records what was served, not whether it should have been. Outlets have to be paid, and a wall is not a criticism. What it changes is which account of this event a reader could reach without paying.
12independent outlets
What happened, for context

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union suffered historic defeats in two German state elections on September 20, 2026. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the CDU fell below the 5% threshold for the first time since reunification, while the far-right AfD topped the vote. In Berlin, the far-left Die Linke led with the CDU in second place. Merz vowed to remain in office and continue his reform agenda despite calls from some that he step down.

9 of 12 articles were readable. Headline only, no body text retrieved, for: axios.com, breakingnews.ie, reuters.com. Nothing below is drawn from those outlets beyond their headline.

Who reported it

  • abc.net.auPUBLIC
  • breakingnews.ieUNCLASSIFIED
  • irishtimes.comINDEP
  • rte.iePUBLIC
  • washingtonexaminer.comPARTISAN
  • reuters.comWIRE
  • upi.comWIRE
  • axios.comINDEP
  • cbc.caPUBLIC
  • dw.comPUBLIC
  • theguardian.comINDEP
  • timesofisrael.comUNCLASSIFIED

References

Carried by multiple outlets

  • Friedrich Merz is Germany's Chancellorabc.net.au, irishtimes.com, rte.ie, washingtonexaminer.com, upi.com, cbc.ca, theguardian.com, timesofisrael.com
  • State elections took place on September 20, 2026 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlinrte.ie, upi.com, cbc.ca, dw.com, theguardian.com, timesofisrael.com
  • Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) fell to approximately 5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaabc.net.au, irishtimes.com, rte.ie, washingtonexaminer.com, upi.com, cbc.ca
  • The CDU's result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was its worst in the state since post-war Germany / the Second World War / 1949abc.net.au, irishtimes.com, rte.ie, upi.com, cbc.ca
  • The AfD finished first in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaabc.net.au, irishtimes.com, rte.ie, washingtonexaminer.com, upi.com, cbc.ca, theguardian.com
  • The AfD received approximately 37-38% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniairishtimes.com, rte.ie, washingtonexaminer.com, upi.com, cbc.ca
  • and 8 more, not shown

Reported by one outlet only

  • Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was the former stronghold of Angela Merkel, Merz's party rivalonly abc.net.au
  • The CDU's result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was its worst-ever state scoreonly irishtimes.com
  • The AfD's result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania more than doubled its previous scoreonly irishtimes.com
  • Merz is 70 years oldonly theguardian.com
  • AfD leader Leif-Erik Holm predicted Merz would not make it to the end of the year in officeonly theguardian.com
  • German intelligence considers the AfD an extremist group in some regions of the countryonly washingtonexaminer.com

Reported unevenly

  • Exact percentage of CDU vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniastated by abc.net.au (5%), irishtimes.com (just over 5%), rte.ie (5.5%), washingtonexaminer.com (4.9%), upi.com (less than 5%), cbc.ca (five per cent)
  • Exact percentage of SPD vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniastated by rte.ie (35.5%), washingtonexaminer.com (35%), upi.com (35.4%)
  • Exact percentage of AfD vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniastated by irishtimes.com (nearly 38%), rte.ie (37%), washingtonexaminer.com (38%), upi.com (38.3%)
  • Whether this is the second or third time AfD has topped a recent state electionstated by abc.net.au (second time in a month), irishtimes.com (second time), upi.com (third time, following Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)

Not yet confirmed against a primary source

  • Confirm the number of state elections the AfD has topped in 2026 prior to September 20. Upi.com states 'third time' and names 'Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt' in addition to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; abc.net.au and irishtimes.com state 'second time in a month.' Which is accurate, and does the discrepancy reflect different counting (including/excluding Berlin's result, or different regional elections)?
  • Verify whether CDU's September 20 result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was its first time falling below the 5% threshold in that state since 1990 reunification (as upi.com states), or if it failed to enter the state parliament before in the post-war period (as other outlets suggest). The distinction affects the historical significance claimed.
  • Confirm the date of the Saxony-Anhalt election result. Irishtimes.com states it was 'two weeks ago' (from the September 20 elections), placing it around September 6; washingtonexaminer.com states 'Earlier in September' without a specific date. Verify the exact date to confirm the timeline.