Two weeks after the Alternative for Germany took 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt, German voters delivered a second and sharper verdict in two state elections today. Chancellor Merz’s party was trounced in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—losing all seats in that state’s parliament—and failed to win Berlin.

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with more than 98% of precincts counted, the AfD leads with 38.5%, up nearly 22 points from 2021, ahead of Minister-President Manuela Schwesig’s SPD at 35.3%. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU stands at 4.9%—below the 5% threshold—and will have no seats in the state parliament. In Berlin, with 91% counted, Die Linke leads at 25.7%, up 13.5 points, and the governing CDU has fallen to 18.8%, losing the capital. Sahra Wagenknecht’s BSW fell just short of the threshold in both states.

The AfD’s 32 seats of 71 in Schwerin leave it short of a majority; the SPD, Linke and Greens together hold 39 and can govern without it. Merz called the result a “disaster” and has cancelled his attendance at this week’s UN General Assembly to convene a party crisis meeting. He is not planning to leave his positions as chancellor and CDU party chairman.

The two winning parties have opposing views on many issues and are often described as being on opposite sides of the political spectrum (AfD on the right and Die Linke on the left). One thing they agree on: both parties oppose sending more weapons to Ukraine. The AfD calls additionally for resuming the Nord Stream pipelines and restoring relations with Moscow; Die Linke condemns the Russian invasion but its Bundestag delegation has mostly voted against arms deliveries. In one election, the anti-establishment vote went right, in the other, it went left. In both cases, the votes went against the parties pushing war with Russia.

What is being rejected is not a party but a policy, and the party most identified with it now has no representation in a state it governed for eight years.