{"id":"b090f68e-7868-4708-a5e7-8583f23eb354","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cme8xj6g2ny7o","domain":"bbc.co.uk","outlet":{"name":"BBC","country":"GB","cred":5,"lean":0,"curated":true,"owner":"British Broadcasting Corporation"},"title":"German elections under way which could decide fate of Chancellor Merz","plainHeadline":"German elections could decide fate of Chancellor Merz","rewrite":{"model":null,"at":null},"summary":["Local elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern heighten pressure on Chancellor Merz.","CDU polls suggest potential defeats after AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt previously.","Merz faces questions about his future and possible mid-term replacement.","Mecklenburg-Vorpommern polls show CDU hovering near 5% threshold for entry.","Merz supporters cite inherited economic and energy problems affecting popularity."],"topics":["Politics","Economy","Energy"],"lang":"eng","publishedAt":"2026-09-20T07:57:32.000Z","ingestedAt":"2026-09-20T08:08:02.869Z","story":"https://brief.concise.news/story/76f7dd09-362c-4eaa-8414-e3d3bda1b780","storyId":"76f7dd09-362c-4eaa-8414-e3d3bda1b780","image":"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/0d3f/live/a433da70-b449-11f1-8eb0-59fdbbab66e7.jpg","author":"Jessica Parker","dek":"The chancellor is facing intense political pressure which will increase if his party struggles in Sunday's polls."}