Conservative leader Friedrich Merz wins German election as far-right party achieves historic support

Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz won a national election, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its strongest result since World War II, doubling its support to about 20.5%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats finished third with just over 16%, marking their worst postwar result. The election was held seven months early after Scholz's coalition collapsed. Voter discontent was high, driven by economic stagnation and migration concerns. Merz aims to form a coalition government by Easter, but challenges remain, especially with AfD's rise. Merz has ruled out working with AfD, despite their offer for coalition talks. He emphasized significant policy differences between the parties. Scholz condemned AfD's success, stating it should not be accepted in German politics.