BERLIN, Feb 24 (Alliance News): Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc, is set to become the country’s next chancellor after his party won Sunday’s national election.
Merz now faces complex coalition negotiations following the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) securing a historic second place.
Merz, 69, who has no prior government experience, vowed to strengthen Europe’s independence from the US, criticizing Washington’s interference in German politics.
He warned that both the US and Russia were exerting undue pressure on Europe and emphasized the need for European unity. Despite Donald Trump’s support for the election outcome, Merz questioned NATO’s future in its current form.
The CDU/CSU bloc won 28.5% of the vote, while the AfD surged to 20.5%, doubling its previous score. The Social Democrats (SPD) suffered a historic collapse to 16.5%, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceding a “bitter” defeat.
The Greens secured 11.8%, while the far-left Die Linke gained 8.7%, boosted by young voters. Smaller parties, including the Free Democrats (FDP) and Sahra Wagenknecht’s new BSW party, hovered around the 5% threshold for parliamentary entry.
Merz now faces the challenge of forming a coalition in a divided parliament, with analysts warning that another three-party government could lead to stagnation.
Meanwhile, voter turnout reached 83%, the highest since reunification in 1990.
