According to estimates from public broadcaster ARD, Merz led CDU/CSU bloc has garnered 28.8% of the vote, followed by 20.2% for the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
On the other hand, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) finished at a distant third with just 16.2%, its worst result since World War II. Notably, the final vote count is underway.
Chancellor Scholz concedes defeat
The SPD conceded defeat, with Scholz calling the result “bitter.” Speaking to his supporters, Scholz said “It’s a bad result and that’s also my responsibility.”
The German Federal Elections hold great significance as the country is currently dealing with stagnating economic growth, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and the glaring threat of trade tariffs by newly-elected US President Donald Trump.
These challenges will have a great impact on how the next government will run the country.
What are Friedrich Merz’s options?
Merz’s centre-right CDU/CSU alliance will need at least one coalition partner to secure a majority in the lower house of parliament, or the Bundestag. The greater the number of parties, the more complicated coalition-building becomes.
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Merz’s most likely alliance options are either the SPD — almost certainly without any cabinet role for Scholz — or the Greens. Depending on the final makeup of parliament, Merz may need both in an unwieldy three-party coalition.
If only five parties qualify to enter parliament and the current projections stand, the CDU-led bloc and the SPD would have enough support to have a majority in the lower house.
“We have won this election,” Merz told a jubilant crowd at CDU headquarters in Berlin, saying that a coalition government must be assembled as quickly as possible.
“The world out there won’t wait for us — and won’t wait for lengthy coalition discussions,” Merz added.
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