frozen snapshot — 2026-09-03 · see today →
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Friedrich Merz

What's on Friedrich Merz's mind?

read fresh this morning at 6
27%18%14%9%32%
the vote that could crown the AfD 27% air defense for Kyiv this month 18% the drones over Leipzig 14% the growth story 9% everything else 32%
#1
One state election away from an AfD first

Polls have the AfD leading in Saxony-Anhalt, and his own CDU is already arguing about who it would rather govern with instead.

Friedrich Merz sidelined as party fights far right in regional poll

Financial Times · 2026-09-03
our translation

he knows the firewall gets stress-tested the second the numbers land, so he'd much rather the party spend this week fighting about coalition math than about him

Three September votes, AfD polling firstvery sure · 4 sources
#2
New air defense packages for Ukraine, this month
Zelensky call, packages promised for Septemberpretty sure · 4 sources
#3
Berlin names Russia for the Leipzig drone attempt
EU awaits response; MPs call measures thinvery sure · 4 sources
#4
1.4% growth, and finally a number to brag about
2026 forecast upgraded to 1.4%pretty sure · 3 sources
thursday, september 3
Work the Saxony-Anhalt message without saying the word 'coalition'(reported)
Get the German-Ukrainian drone deal text to signable(reported)
Ask the NATO desk what a 'clear response' to Leipzig actually is(reported)
Say '1.4% growth' at least twice before lunch(safe bet)

rebuilt from the public schedule, pool reports & old habits — the rest is educated guessing

The source

Some Saxony-Anhalt conservatives rule out governing with far-left support

news.google.com · 2026-09-03

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