German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is standing by his vow to stay in office after his party suffered two more regional election defeats and was voted out of a state legislature in a humiliating first.

Two German regional elections this weekend are expected to bring more gains for a far-right party and could determine whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz can hold on to power and push ahead with economic reforms.

German artist Günther Uecker, one of the country’s most important post-war artists who was world-famous for his large-format nail reliefs, has died.