German Defence Minister calls SPD election result catastrophic as party plans coalition talks

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) received only 16% of the vote in recent parliamentary elections, placing third. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius described the outcome as "devastating" and acknowledged the CDU/CSU alliance's lead with 29%. Pistorius stated that conservative leader Friedrich Merz has a mandate to form the next government. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) follows with just under 20%. The SPD plans to negotiate a coalition with the CDU/CSU. Pistorius emphasized the party's willingness to engage in talks but noted that the next steps are not solely up to them.