Conservatives win German election as voter turnout hits highest level since 1987

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 Social Democratic Party (SPD) had its worst performance, receiving only 16.4% of the vote. Voter turnout reached 82.5%, the highest since 1987, reflecting strong public interest. The outgoing coalition government collapsed last year, leading to significant changes in leadership, with key figures from the SPD, FDP, and Greens stepping down from frontline politics. The Left party made a surprising comeback, securing nearly 9% of the vote, aided by a successful social media campaign. In contrast, the AfD's rise has been linked to recent violent incidents involving immigrants, despite being blocked from government participation due to its extremist classification.