Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s Christian Democrat Union. (X Screenshot)
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats faced a stunning collapse, dropping to just 16.4% from their 25.7% showing in 2021.
A historic wave of German voters braved freezing temperatures on Sunday to cast ballots their ballots. By night’s end, Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) emerged victorious with 28.6% of the vote.
“Let’s get the party started,” the 69-year-old told supporters at party headquarters in central Berlin. “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA.”
“The interventions from Washington were no less dramatic and drastic and ultimately outrageous than the interventions we have seen from Moscow. We are under such massive pressure from two sides that my top priority is to create unity in Europe.”
The second major story of the night unfolded at Alternative for Germany (AfD) headquarters, where supporters waved German flags as results showed their party securing 20.8% of the vote to become the country’s second-largest party.
Not since the 1930s has a far-right party in Germany gained such a large electoral share.
“Never been stronger,” AfD co-leader Alice Weidel proclaimed to cheering crowds. “We extend our hand to offer cooperation with the CDU. Otherwise, change won’t be possible in Germany.”
Founded as an anti-euro party in 2013 before shifting to anti-immigration and nationalist positions, the AfD has called for moving beyond what they term a “cult of shame” over Nazi atrocities.
A stance echoed by party figures like Alexander Gauland, who dismissed the Nazi period as “bird shit” in German history.
However, Merz ruled out working with AfD, viewing the party as a threat to democracy.
“We have fundamentally different views, for example on foreign policy, on security policy, in many other areas, regarding Europe, the euro, NATO,” he said. “You want the opposite of what we want, so there will be no cooperation.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats faced a stunning collapse, dropping to just 16.4% from their 25.7% showing in 2021.
A subdued Scholz described it as “a bitter result” and “a defeat,” while maintaining defiance toward the far right’s gains, declaring it to be “something that we can never simply accept.”
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