Candidate for State Premier of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Leif-Erik Holm (L) and co-chair of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Enrico Schult stand in front of a screen showing German Chancellor and leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz delivering a statement after the announcement of the first exit poll results on public television at the AfD's election party following Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania's state elections in Schwerin, north-eastern Germany on September 20, 2026. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

TV host and journalist Joerg Schoenenborn comments the results after exit polls prior to a TV debate at the television studio 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)

TV host and journalist Joerg Schoenenborn comments the results after exit polls prior to a TV debate at the television studio 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)

TV host and journalist Joerg Schoenenborn comments the results after exit polls prior to a TV debate at the television studio 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)

Supporters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party watch as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes a televised address shown on public television after the release of the exit polls in the regional elections on September 20, 2026, in Schwerin in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made strong gains in two state elections, in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, on September 20, according to exit polls by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. (Photo by Gregor Fischer / AFP via Getty Images)

Supporters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party watch as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes a televised address on public television after the release of the exit polls in the regional elections on September 20, 2026, in Schwerin in the northeastern federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made strong gains in two state elections, in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, on September 20, according to exit polls by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. (Photo by Gregor Fischer / AFP via Getty Images)

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier and top candidate of the social democratic SPD party Manuela Schwesig speaks 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)

Die Linke (The Left) party members cheer and top candidate of the left-wing Die Linke (The Left) party Elif Eralp (front 3rdR) is hugged after the announcement of the first exit poll results on public television at the electoral evening event of Germany's The Left (Die Linke) party following Berlin's state elections in Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin on September 20, 2026. (Photo by Jens SCHLUETER / AFP via Getty Images)