Friedrich Merz leads conservatives to victory in Germany elections as Olaf Scholz acknowledges SPD defeat

Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU alliance won Germany's elections, securing over 28% of the vote. The far-right AfD gained more than 20%, while outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD suffered a historic low with only 16%. Scholz acknowledged the defeat and congratulated the CDU/CSU on their victory. He condemned the AfD's rise but reiterated that his party would not cooperate with them. Merz plans to address immigration issues and aims to regain support from voters concerned about security. His victory marks a significant shift in Germany's political landscape.