Conservatives win German election as voter turnout hits 40-year high

Friedrich Merz's conservative party won Germany's 2025 election, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) doubled its support to 20.8%, becoming the second-largest party. The outgoing Social Democrats (SPD) had their worst performance, securing only 16.4%. Voter turnout reached 82.5%, the highest in 40 years, reflecting significant public interest. The previous three-party government collapsed, leading to the resignation of its leaders, including Olaf Scholz and Christian Lindner. The Left party revived its presence with a strong social media campaign, gaining nearly 9% of the vote. Young voters leaned towards the Left and AfD, while older voters favored the Christian Democrats.