In a significant political development, the preliminary results of the German federal election have just been announced, with the conservative Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) leading the way. The election, which took place on February 23, has far - reaching implications for Germany's political landscape.
Election Results Breakdown
The CDU/CSU, with Friedrich Merz as the chancellor - candidate, secured 28.6% of the votes, emerging victorious in this election. This result, while better than their 24.1% showing in the 2021 election, is still the second - worst in the party's history. Despite falling short of the 30% or even 35% target that Merz and his team had hoped for, the party's lead is a clear indication of the voters' desire for a change in the political direction.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) made a remarkable leap, doubling its vote share from 10.3% in the previous election to 20.8%, coming in second. This is the highest result for the AfD since its establishment in 2013, highlighting the growing influence of this right - wing party in German politics.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by the current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, came in third with 16.4% of the votes. This represents a significant drop of over 9 percentage points compared to the 25.7% they received in 2021. The Green Party, with Vice - Chancellor Robert Habeck as a key figure, garnered 11.6% of the votes, a decrease of about 3 percentage points from the last election. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) faced a major setback, receiving only 4.3% of the votes and failing to cross the 5% threshold to enter the parliament.
Reactions from Party Leaders
Friedrich Merz, upon learning of the victory, emphasized the urgency of forming a new government. He stated, "The outside world will not wait for us, nor for protracted coalition negotiations. We must act quickly now so that we can do the right things at home, become active again in the EU, and let the world feel that Germany will be governed reliably again." He also expressed his vision for German foreign policy, aiming to reduce Europe's dependence on the United States. "For me, the absolutely top - priority task is to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can truly gradually achieve independence from the United States." However, he firmly ruled out any cooperation with the AfD, saying, "Under no circumstances will we have any dialogue with the AfD, let alone negotiations or even form a government with it."
Olaf Scholz acknowledged the defeat of the SPD, taking personal responsibility for the outcome. He said, "This is a bitter election result for the SPD, and I am responsible for this failure." Saskia Esken, the co - chair of the SPD, described the election as a "watershed moment" and stated that the party must initiate a generational change and reposition its platform.
Alice Weidel, the AfD's chancellor - candidate, expressed her party's willingness to join the future ruling coalition. She said, "Our hands are always extended for participation in government... The will of the voters has been fully reflected, and people want a black - blue (referring to the CDU/CSU and AfD) ruling coalition."
Christian Lindner, the FDP's chairperson and former finance minister, who had previously said he would step down from politics if the FDP's vote share fell below 5%, announced his departure from politics on social media after the results were revealed. He wrote, "The federal election has brought defeat to the FDP... Now I am leaving politics."
International Reactions
The international community has also taken notice of the election results. US President Donald Trump commented that the German people are "tired of the senseless agenda, especially on energy and immigration issues." French President Emmanuel Macron, who had conversations with both Merz and Scholz, emphasized the need for France and Germany to unite in this "uncertain time" to build a "strong and sovereign Europe." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his hope to continue working with Germany to bring "real peace to Ukraine and strengthen Europe." NATO Secretary - General Mark Rutte stressed the importance of increased European defense spending and the crucial role of German leadership.
The Road Ahead: Coalition Building
With the election results in hand, the next crucial step is the formation of a new government. Although the CDU/CSU has won the most votes, Merz will need to negotiate with other parties to secure a majority in the Bundestag. Given the significant differences between the CDU/CSU and the SPD on various social policies such as citizen income, pensions, and the minimum wage, as well as the controversial debt - brake system, reaching an agreement may not be easy. The SPD's ambiguous stance, with its leader suggesting that the party could either be in the ruling coalition or the opposition, further complicates the situation. And Merz's refusal to cooperate with the AfD limits the potential coalition partners.
As Germany moves forward, all eyes will be on how the new government takes shape and what policies it will pursue, both domestically and internationally. The coming weeks and months will be crucial in determining the future direction of this major European power.
