Friedrich Merz wins German elections as far-right AfD achieves historic gains

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative opposition, won the national election, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its best result since World War II. The Social Democrats, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, finished third with their lowest postwar support. Merz's Union bloc received about 28.5% of the vote, while AfD garnered around 20.5%, doubling its previous support. Scholz's party received just over 16%, significantly lower than in past elections. The Greens, part of the outgoing government, received about 12%. Merz aims to form a coalition government by Easter, but challenges remain. He ruled out working with AfD, despite their strong performance. The election was held earlier than planned due to the collapse of Scholz's coalition in November.