Germany Election: Chancellor Scholz's SPD acknowledges loss | What’s next for the victor Friedrich Merz?

 

                                                                   Friedrich Merz, right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union                                                                           (CDU    Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU

Germany Election: Chancellor Scholz's SPD acknowledges loss | What’s next for the victor Friedrich Merz?

The CDU/CSU faction under Merz's leadership has received 28.8% of the votes, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) following closely at 20.2%. 

Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative opposition, has won the German Federal Elections, resulting in a notable change in the political dynamics of the nation. 

According to projections from public broadcaster ARD, the Merz-led CDU/CSU has achieved 28.8% of the votes, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has obtained 20.2%.

Conversely, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) secured a disappointing third place with only 16.2%, marking their poorest performance since World War II. It is worth noting that the final tally of votes is still in progress.

Chancellor Scholz admits loss 

The SPD accepted their defeat, with Scholz describing the outcome as “bitter.” Addressing his supporters, Scholz remarked, “This is a poor result, and I take full responsibility for it.”

The German Federal Elections are particularly important as the nation faces slow economic growth, the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the looming risk of trade tariffs imposed by newly-elected US President Donald Trump.

These issues are likely to significantly influence how the incoming government will manage the country.