Friedrich Merz seeks coalition talks after winning German election

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, won the recent election with over 28% of the vote. He now faces the challenge of forming a coalition government, as the far-right Alternative for Germany party gained over 20%. Merz aims to establish a stable government quickly, emphasizing the need for unity amid a divided society and a struggling economy. He plans to negotiate with former rivals, the Social Democrats, after their significant defeat. The CDU/CSU bloc fell short of their 30% goal, complicating coalition talks. Merz has ruled out cooperation with the AfD and seeks a "grand coalition" with the SPD, aiming for a government by mid-April.