Friedrich Merz wins German election, ending Scholz's chancellorship and signaling potential coalition changes

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's opposition, won the recent election, ending Olaf Scholz's chancellorship after his government collapsed. Merz plans to form a coalition with Scholz's Social Democrats to stabilize the economy and address migration. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) gained significant support, especially in the east, while a left-wing party revived its presence among young voters. The Union and Social Democrats saw their lowest combined support since 1949. Merz supports Ukraine and may increase military aid, differing from Scholz's approach. Scholz's leadership faltered due to crises and coalition conflicts, leading to his party's poor election performance.