Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier and top candidate of the social democratic SPD party Manuela Schwesig holds a bouquet of flowers on stage after the announcement of the first exit poll results on public television at the SPD's election party in the Schwerin Castle, on September 20, 2026, following north-eastern Germany's Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania's state elections. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm stands in front of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier and top candidate of the social democratic SPD party Manuela Schwesig during a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm stands in front of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier and top candidate of the social democratic SPD party Manuela Schwesig during a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm attends a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm attends a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm attends a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

The candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm attends a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier and top candidate of the social democratic SPD party Manuela Schwesig attends a TV debate at the television studio of ARD in Schwerin on September 20, 2026, after regional elections in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. (Photo by Marcus Brandt / dpa Pool / AFP via Getty Images)