German conservatives lead election as Friedrich Merz calls for European independence from US
dw.com —
In Germany's recent election, early projections show the conservative CDU/CSU bloc leading with about 29% of the votes, followed by the far-right AfD at over 20%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD has dropped to around 16%. Friedrich Merz, the CDU candidate, emphasized the need for Europe to gain independence from the U.S. He criticized both Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their influence on German politics. Merz ruled out a coalition with the AfD, leaving the SPD as a potential partner. The election results reflect significant dissatisfaction with the current government, with all coalition parties losing support. The SPD's approval rating fell sharply, indicating a shift in voter sentiment towards more extreme parties.