It is seen as a slap in the face for Angela Merkel. The election result in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern saw the chancellor’s conservatives slumping into third place – behind the populist right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

The AfD is certainly on a roll and there is growing concern among Germany’s established parties that the anti-euro, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim party will be a force to be reckoned with at next year’s federal election.

Most AfD voters are fiercely opposed to Chancellor Merkel’s refugee policies. For her part, the chancellor insists that she will be staying on course and has repeated her mantra: ”Wir schaffen das – We can do it!” There are, though, signs that Merkel is running out of the political allies she needs to realize her vision of integrating over a million refugees in Germany.

How Isolated Is Angela Merkel? Tell us what you think: quadriga(at)dw.com

Our guests:

Ulrike Herrmann is a business editor at the Berlin daily taz. She says: „The AfD has peaked. The greater danger for Angela Merkel is her own party."

Malte Lehming is the opinion editor at Der Tagesspiegel newspaper. He thinks: "Merkel is going to have to deal with people's concerns about her refugee policy. Otherwise, the upcoming federal election will be a disaster for her party."

Janosch Delcker has reported on the Mecklenburg election for Politico. He believes: “Merkel could have seen it coming: For months, her critics have waited for an opportunity like last weekend's state election to undermine her position."