Germany's 2025 Election Reshapes Political Landscape with CDU Win and AfD Surge

The CDU/CSU emerges as the largest bloc, while the far-right AfD doubles its vote share, marking significant shifts in voter alignment.

The CDU/CSU alliance secured approximately 28% of votes, maintaining their position as the largest political force but falling short of a clear majority.
The far-right AfD doubled its vote share to over 20%, becoming the second-largest party and achieving historic gains in both eastern and western Germany.
The ruling coalition parties—SPD, Greens, and FDP—suffered significant losses, with the FDP failing to meet the 5% threshold for representation in the Bundestag.
The Left Party (Die Linke) saw a surprising resurgence, particularly among younger voters, while the newly formed Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht narrowly missed entering parliament.
Forming a government will likely require a CDU/CSU and SPD coalition, as Friedrich Merz has ruled out cooperation with the AfD despite their strong showing.