The conservative alliance in Germany, CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, has won Sunday’s election for the new federal government, securing 28.5–29 percent of the vote, according to early TV polls.
The far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), ranks second with 19.5–20 percent of the vote, meaning it has doubled its result from the 2021 election, based on figures released by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF.
According to these polls, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party ranks third.
Voter turnout was 83 percent, compared to 76.6 percent in 2021.
More than 59 million people were eligible to vote in the country of 84 million, to elect members of the Bundestag – the lower house of parliament – which has 630 seats.
Merz Praises “Wonderful Election Campaign”
If the poll results are confirmed, Merz appears set to become the new Chancellor of Germany, the largest economy in Europe.
However, to secure a majority in parliament, he will need to form a coalition with at least one other party, most likely with the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Merz addressed his supporters from the party headquarters, praising the “wonderful election campaign” and speaking with “respect for political opponents.”
“Now we will discuss together because it is important to form the government as quickly as possible. The world is not waiting for us,” he said.
He emphasized that everyone worldwide must see that Germany has a stable and reliable government.
“We will celebrate tonight; tomorrow we will start working.”
Scholz: “We Need to Accept That We Lost the Election”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the election result as “bitter” for his party, SPD, calling the situation a “loss.”
The SPD seems to have recorded what is possibly its worst result in post-war Germany, with about 16–16.5 percent.
Speaking to supporters in Berlin, Scholz said it was time “to accept that we lost the election.”
He acknowledged that the party had done better in previous elections, for which he was responsible, and that the current result was “worse, and I am responsible for that as well.”
Scholz congratulated Friedrich Merz on his victory.
AfD Leaders: “We Have a Mandate to Make Political Change”
The rise of the AfD, an anti-immigration party, is the result of public anger over issues of migration and security, following numerous attacks carried out by migrants, as well as concerns over the weakening economy.
Despite this, the AfD is expected to remain out of power for now, as all other parties have refused to cooperate with them.
AfD leaders have expressed their happiness with the election results.
One of the leaders, Tino Chrupalla, said he was “very proud” of the party.
“We were united, our campaign had a goal, and we were disciplined,” he said, standing next to Alice Weidel, the party’s other leader.
“We can make an epochal change,” he added, stating that they were open to negotiations.
“We have earned the trust of voters, and this is something everyone must accept,” he added.
The Greens, another potential partner for CDU/CSU, seem to have secured 12-13.5 percent of the vote.
The elections were held after the breakup of Scholz’s three-party coalition at the end of last year.
