German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described his Christian Democratic Union’s performance in Sunday’s state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a “disaster,” after preliminary results showed a historic low for the party.

The CDU received just 5.5% of the vote, according to an ARD exit poll, its worst results in a state election since the founding of the federal republic in 1949. This leaves the party just above the 5% threshold required to enter the regional parliament.

The Alternative for Germany party (AfD) is leading with 37%, ahead of the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) at 35.5%, according to the poll.

Merz’s party is faring better in Berlin but is still trailing the Left, which leads with 24.5%. The CDU is second with 20%, followed by the AfD at 16%, according to exit polls.

The preliminary results come two weeks after the AfD took first in Saxony-Anhalt, and amid mounting pressure on Merz over the CDU’s declining support. The chancellor called a meeting of the party leadership for Sunday evening to discuss the election results.