German Elections: CDU’s Friedrich Merz Poised to Lead as Far-Right AfD Gains Historic Ground
Introduction Germany’s federal elections have delivered a political earthquake, with the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) emerging as the largest party, positioning its leader, Friedrich Merz, to become the next chancellor. However, the dramatic surge of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which secured its highest-ever vote share, has intensified debates over the nation’s future direction. The results reflect a deeply fragmented electorate, shaped by economic anxiety, migration concerns, and disillusionment with the ruling “traffic light” coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and Free Democrats (FDP). Election Results: A Shift to the Right Preliminary results show the CDU/CSU alliance winning approximately 30% of the vote, a significant rebound from its historic low of 24.1% in 2021. The SPD, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, fell to 18%, a stark decline from its 25.7% victory three years ago. Meanwhile, the AfD captured 22% of the vote, nearly do...