CDU/CSU claims narrow victory as SPD faces historic defeat
The conservative CDU/CSU bloc emerged as the winner of Sunday's parliamentary elections in Germany, securing 28.6% of the vote, the dpa agency reported, citing preliminary official data released overnight from Sunday to Monday by the Federal Election Commission.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU/CSU bloc, is on the verge of becoming chancellor after his party secured 28.6% of the vote in the latest parliamentary elections. This is a victory over the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which came second with a record 20.8%. The AfD doubled its support compared to the 2021 elections, casting this populist and far-right party in a new light.
SPD's worst result in years. Election results in Germany
The election results were the weakest in history for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The party received 16.4% of the votes, a result significantly below the expectations and historical outcomes for this organisation.
The Greens received 11.6% support, while the leftist party Die Linke garnered 8.8% of the votes, ensuring their seats in parliament. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) fell below the five percent threshold, receiving only 4.3%. This situation means that the FDP will not enter the Bundestag. A similar fate befell Sahra Wagenknecht's Alliance (BSW) with a result of 4.97%.
German media, quoted by PAP, emphasise that if Sahra Wagenknecht's Alliance does not enter parliament, it will be possible for conservatives and the SPD to form a majority government. Otherwise, a coalition of CDU/CSU with the SPD and the Greens is likely to ensure stable governance in the country.
