Friedrich Merz faces a crucial political test this Sunday as his conservative CDU party seeks to unseat the Social Democrats in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Polls show a narrow lead for the CDU over the SPD, led locally by Alexander Schweitzer, in what has become a much tighter race than expected. The vote follows a recent setback for Merz's party in Baden-Württemberg, raising the stakes for this second regional election.
The outcome is particularly significant for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, which is trying to recover from declining support nationwide and a poor result in the previous state election. Losing Rhineland-Palatinate (governed by the SPD for decades) would deepen concerns about the party's future.
Despite the rivalry, a coalition between the CDU and SPD remains a likely outcome if results are close, reflecting the complex political balance in Germany.