The conservative alliance in Germany won the national election, with Friedrich Merz poised to become chancellor, marking a political shift. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), supported by figures like Donald Trump, gained a historic second place. Trump praised the outcome, claiming Germans rejected Olaf Scholz’s policies. Merz aims for European independence from the U.S. while navigating complex coalition talks after his CDU/CSU party secured only 28.5% of the vote, its second-worst post-war result. Scholz’s Social Democrats fell to a record low, while voter turnout surged to 83%, reflecting significant public engagement.
Berlin:
The conservative coalition in Germany claimed victory in the national election, with Friedrich Merz poised to become the next German chancellor, according to exit polls released on Sunday. This outcome represents a notable transformation in the nation’s political climate, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved unprecedented success, finishing in second place, bolstered by support from notable U.S. figures, including tech billionaire Elon Musk, an ally of former President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Trump expressed his approval of the election results, asserting that the German populace has turned away from the “common sense-lacking” policies of the Olaf Scholz-led center-left government.
“Similar to the USA, the people of Germany have grown weary of the agenda lacking common sense, particularly regarding energy and immigration, which has persisted for so long. This marks a great day for Germany,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
Friedrich Merz Advocates For “Real Independence” From the US
In the meantime, 69-year-old Merz pledged to strive for Europe’s “real independence” from the United States as he embarked on forming a government. While Trump celebrated the election results, Merz criticized American commentary during the campaign, denouncing it as “ultimately outrageous” and likening it to hostile interference from Russia.
“We are facing substantial pressure from two sides, making it my top priority to achieve unity in Europe. Creating unity is achievable,” he declared during a roundtable discussion with fellow leaders.
Once viewed as an Atlanticist, Merz remarked that Trump’s administration has shown “a significant indifference to the fate of Europe.”
Merz’s “absolute priority will be to swiftly bolster Europe, inching towards real independence from the USA.” He even questioned whether the upcoming NATO summit would maintain “NATO in its current form.”
Given his lack of prior experience in office, Merz is stepping into the chancellorship amidst economic challenges, societal divisions over migration, and a security landscape strained by a confrontational U.S. and assertive Russia and China.
Challenging Coalition Negotiations Ahead
Even with his party in the lead, Merz is faced with intricate and protracted coalition discussions following the far-right AfD’s historic second-place finish in a fragmented vote, resulting from the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular three-way coalition. Mainstream parties have ruled out collaboration with the AfD, which continues to face social stigma due to Germany’s Nazi history.
Merz enters these coalition discussions without a robust bargaining position. Although his CDU/CSU emerged as the largest faction, it logged its second-worst result since World War II. It remains unclear if Merz will require one or two coalition partners to secure a majority, as the fate of smaller parties adds uncertainty to parliamentary calculations.
Another three-way coalition is likely to be unwieldy, potentially hampering Germany’s capacity for decisive leadership.
Surge of the Far-Right
Amidst a campaign marred by violent incidents involving people from migrant backgrounds, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance captured 28.5% of the votes, with the AfD close behind at 20.5%, based on a projection released late Sunday by ZDF broadcaster.
The AfD, poised to double its previous vote share, viewed Sunday’s results as just the beginning. “Our hand remains outstretched to form a government,” AfD leader Alice Weidel told her supporters, stating, “Next time, we’ll come first.”
Decline of the Left-Centrists
Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) suffered their poorest performance since World War II, securing only 16.5% of the votes, with Scholz acknowledging a “bitter” outcome, as per the ZDF projection, while the Greens garnered 11.8%.
The far-left Die Linke party attracted notable support, particularly from younger voters, earning 8.7% of the total votes.
The pro-market Free Democrats (FDP) and the emerging Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) party hovered around the critical 5% threshold needed for parliamentary entry.
Voter turnout reached 83%, the highest since before the reunification in 1990, according to exit polls. Male voters gravitated more towards the right, while female voters displayed stronger allegiance to leftist parties.