Far-right and far-left parties celebrate gains in German elections

In Germany's recent elections, the conservative bloc led by Friedrich Merz emerged as the main winner, likely positioning him to become chancellor. However, far-right and far-left parties also celebrated significant gains. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party doubled its vote share to over 20%, becoming the second largest in parliament. Their membership in the Bundestag is expected to increase from 77 to over 140, despite mainstream parties' refusal to collaborate with them. The Left party also experienced a resurgence, nearly doubling its support to over 8%. This comes after a challenging period marked by a split within the party. Their improved performance contrasts with the struggles of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which may fail to secure seats in parliament.