German conservatives win national election as far-right party achieves record support

In Germany's recent national election, opposition leader Friedrich Merz's conservative party is projected to win just under 29% of the vote. This marks a modest victory amid widespread discontent with the current government. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) nearly doubled its support, reaching about 20%, the highest for a far-right party since World War II. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats finished third with just over 16%, their worst result in postwar history. Merz aims to form a coalition government, but it remains unclear if he will need additional partners. AfD has expressed interest in coalition talks, but Merz has ruled out working with them, complicating the path forward.