German conservatives win election as far-right AfD achieves record support
dawn.com —
Germany's conservative CDU/CSU bloc won the national election with 28.5% of the vote, positioning Friedrich Merz to become the next chancellor. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its best result ever, securing 20%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) fell to 16.5%, their lowest since World War Two. The Greens received 12%, while the far-left Die Linke garnered 9%. Coalition talks are expected to be complex due to the fragmented political landscape. Merz, lacking government experience, aims to restore Germany's leadership in Europe. However, coalition negotiations will be challenging, especially regarding migration issues and the AfD's rising influence.