German election sees record turnout as young voters shift left and far right gains in former East

Germany's recent general election saw a record turnout of 82.5%, the highest since reunification in 1990. The conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz received 28% of the votes, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) nearly doubled its support to 20%. The election results revealed a geographical divide, with the AfD gaining significant support in the former East Germany. The Left Party also performed well, securing 8.8% of the vote, particularly among young voters, contrasting with the Social Democrats' historic low of 16%. Voting patterns showed young women favored leftist parties, while young men leaned towards the far right. Among 18-24-year-olds, 27% of young men voted for the AfD, compared to 14% of young women, who preferred the Left Party at 35%.