Berlin, February 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: Center-right opposition leader Friedrich Merz has declared victory in Germany’s national election after exit polls showed his Union bloc leading, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) nearly doubled its support, marking its strongest performance since World War II.
Speaking on Sunday night, Merz acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “It will not be easy,” as he pledged to form a governing coalition as swiftly as possible.
Exit polls from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF indicated that Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), secured between 28.5% and 29% of the vote. AfD’s projected support stood at 19.5% to 20%, roughly double its 2021 election result.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD) suffered a heavy defeat, projected to finish in third place with 16% to 16.5%—their worst postwar performance. The Greens, one of the SPD’s coalition partners in the outgoing government, polled at 13.5%.
The election, held seven months ahead of schedule following the collapse of Scholz’s coalition in November, was shaped by voter concerns over economic stagnation, migration, and geopolitical uncertainties, including Germany’s support for Ukraine and its role in European security.
Among smaller parties, the hard-left Left Party was set to enter parliament with 8.5% to 9% of the vote. The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance hovered around the 5% threshold needed to secure seats.
Merz’s victory gives him the mandate to form Germany’s next government, though whether he will require one or two coalition partners will depend on final results. The CDU’s general secretary, Carsten Linnemann, affirmed, “The new chancellor will be called Friedrich Merz.”
AfD’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, celebrated her party’s strong performance, saying, “We have become the second-strongest force.” However, despite AfD’s gains, Merz has repeatedly ruled out forming a coalition with the party, as have other mainstream political groups.
With over 59 million eligible voters participating in the election, Germany’s new government will play a crucial role in shaping the country’s economic recovery and foreign policy amid shifting global alliances and challenges facing the European Union.
