Union Wins German Election as AfD Surges to Second Place
Friedrich Merz faces complex coalition talks after CDU/CSU victory, with SPD and FDP suffering historic losses.
- The CDU/CSU secured 28.5% of the vote, emerging as the largest party but falling short of a majority, while the AfD doubled its 2021 result to over 20%.
- The SPD recorded its worst federal election result in history at 16.5%, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz announcing he will not lead coalition talks or join a new government.
- The FDP failed to surpass the 5% threshold, prompting party leader Christian Lindner to resign and exit politics.
- The newly formed Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) narrowly hovered around the 5% threshold, creating uncertainty about its parliamentary representation.
- A record-high voter turnout of approximately 84% was reported, marking the highest participation since reunification.




















































































































