Germany’s conservative bloc, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), have emerged as the biggest winners in the German federal election, exit polls show.
The results position CDU leader Friedrich Merz as the likely successor to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, marking a significant political shift in Europe’s largest economy.
Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made historic gains, securing second place in a surprising shake-up of the political landscape.
According to exit polls from German broadcaster ZDF, the CDU-CSU secured 28.5% of the vote, while the AfD surged to 20%, pushing Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) into third place with just 16.5%.
The outcome signals a major setback for the SPD, which won the last election in 2021.
“We have won because the CDU and CSU worked well together and prepared thoroughly for this election,” Merz said in his victory speech, thanking CSU leader Markus Söder and party supporters.
He acknowledged the challenges ahead, emphasizing the urgency of coalition talks to form a stable government.
Scholz, addressing SPD supporters, admitted defeat, calling the result “bitter” and taking responsibility for the party’s poor performance.
He also extended his congratulations to Merz and the CDU-CSU alliance.
The election results underscore a broader rightward shift in German politics, with the AfD’s strong performance reflecting growing dissatisfaction among voters.
The far-right party’s rise comes amid similar trends in other Western nations, where populist and nationalist movements have gained traction.
Germany’s electoral system, which combines direct constituency votes and proportional representation, means coalition negotiations will now determine the country’s next government.
Smaller parties, particularly those hovering around the 5% parliamentary threshold, could play a decisive role in shaping the next ruling coalition.
With CDU-CSU’s victory and AfD’s unprecedented gains, Germany now faces critical coalition talks that will shape its political and economic direction in the coming years.
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