Friedrich Merz wins Germany's elections and faces key challenges ahead

Friedrich Merz has won Germany's elections, leading the CDU/CSU bloc. His government faces significant challenges, including managing illegal immigration and reviving the economy, which is currently in recession. Merz aims to secure borders and implement stricter immigration laws, but coalition negotiations may complicate these efforts. He also needs to address Germany's infrastructure and digitalization issues while navigating trade tensions with the U.S. under Donald Trump. Additionally, Germany's military readiness is a concern, especially with ongoing support for Ukraine. Merz must balance defense spending with strict debt limits, which may require new agreements among coalition partners.