Merz Booed, Called "Pinocchio" on Campaign Stop
Crowds booed Chancellor Friedrich Merz and chanted "Pinocchio" and "resign" during his campaign stop in Kühlungsborn, prompting a cancelled press statement, before a calmer, tightly controlled visit to Quedlinburg.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced booing, whistling and chants of "Kriegstreiber" (warmonger), "Pinocchio," "Rücktritt" (resign) and "Hau ab" (get lost) during his first East German campaign stop in Kühlungsborn, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, on August 31, 2026.
Merz had eaten a fish sandwich on the Baltic promenade, calling it "exzellent gut," before approaching a CDU stand behind barriers, where parts of the crowd turned hostile while others pushed back and called for decency.
A planned press statement was cancelled without explanation from the CDU team, and Merz instead spoke to attendees over the barriers.
A Different Reception in Quedlinburg
Merz then traveled to Quedlinburg in Sachsen-Anhalt, where state elections are set for September 6, for a smaller, heavily secured visit including a candidates' meeting, a church visit, a Golden Book signing, and a joint statement with CDU Minister-President Sven Schulze.
A few AfD supporters held a "Unser Land zuerst!" (Our Country First) banner at the convoy's arrival, but reports describe no comparable jeering there.
Merz warned that Sachsen-Anhalt "darf kein Experimentierfeld für Wutbürger werden" (must not become an experimental field for angry citizens), arguing an AfD majority would scare off investors; Schulze kept some distance from federal policy in his remarks.
Viral Footage Blurs the Two Stops
Widely shared clips, mostly showing the same Kühlungsborn promenade footage with crowds behind barriers chanting "Resign!" and "Go away from here," have often been mislabeled online as having occurred in Sachsen-Anhalt, conflating the two separate stops.
The Kühlungsborn reception was mixed rather than a total rejection - visible and audible hostility from part of the crowd, alongside heightened security and the cancelled statement.
"Pinocchio" Has a History
The "Pinocchio" label directed at Merz traces back to a 2025 Facebook comment that led to a since-dropped investigation, along with earlier political jabs referencing broken promises.
On the promenade, it was used again as a street-level accusation that Merz has not kept his word.
Zülal Merve Bulut
Zülal Merve Bulut is an international affairs reporter covering geopolitics, conflict, diplomacy, and human rights, focusing on the United States, the Middle East, and global politics. She reports on breaking news, analysis, and interviews to explain key international developments shaping today’s world. She is based in Istanbul.
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