Far-right AfD wins again as Germany's Merz slides

Germany's ruling center-right party, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union, was shut out of a state parliament for the first time Sunday as the far-right Alternative for Germany scored its second victory this month.Why it matters: The result marks the third state election AfD has won — and its second this month — underscoring its growing strength even as Germany's other major parties refuse to govern with it.Driving the news: Merz, who has low approval ratings, told reporters that "reforms have to come."AfD won about 38% of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while the