“Friedrich Merz says he intends to stay on as the leader of Germany and his party after a string of state election defeats. But it’s unclear how much room for maneuver the chancellor still has, only 16 months after he took office,” the Associated Press reports.“The 70-year-old sought within minutes of polls closing Sunday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin to shore up his position in his center-right Christian Democratic Union. He made a highly unusual election evening appearance to insist that he would press ahead with reforms meant to get the sluggish economy moving.”Said Merz: “What has to be done now requires backbone, steadfastness and patience. I will demonstrate that as the CDU party leader and above all as chancellor of our country.”Bloomberg: Germany’s Merz vows to stay after record election loss.