Germany’s political landscape has undergone a shift following Sunday’s parliamentary elections, with the conservative CDU/CSU bloc emerging victorious and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffering its worst result in history.
CDU/CSU Takes the Lead
The centre-right CDU/CSU bloc secured 28.6% of the vote, according to preliminary official data from the Federal Election Commission. This victory positions the bloc’s leader, Friedrich Merz, as the leading candidate for the role of Federal Chancellor. However, with no outright majority, Merz faces the challenge of forming a viable coalition government.
AfD Surges to Second Place
In a striking development, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) secured 20.8% of the vote, doubling its support compared to the 2021 elections. This result cements AfD as a major force in German politics, reflecting growing public discontent with the current government’s policies on issues such as immigration and the economy.
SPD’s Historic Low
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD saw a dramatic decline, securing only 16.4% of the vote. This marks the party’s worst performance in Bundestag election history and a major blow to Scholz’s leadership. The results indicate waning confidence in his government, which has struggled with economic challenges, rising living costs, and energy concerns.
Greens and Left Struggle; FDP Fails to Enter Bundestag
The Greens managed to secure 11.6% of the vote, while the Left Party (Linke) received 8.8%, both maintaining parliamentary representation but failing to gain significant ground.
Meanwhile, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) suffered a major defeat, failing to surpass the 5% electoral threshold with only 4.3% of the vote. As a result, the party will not be represented in the Bundestag. Similarly, Sahra Wagenknecht’s newly formed Alliance (BSW) fell short of the threshold, earning 4.97% and missing out on parliamentary seats.