Germany elects Friedrich Merz as new leader after Olaf Scholz's defeat

Germany has elected Friedrich Merz as its new leader, marking a significant shift after Olaf Scholz's defeat. Merz's center-right party won amid a rise in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which gained 20.8% of the vote. Merz aims to form a coalition government with Scholz's Social Democrats, who suffered their worst postwar result at 16.4%. This coalition would combine their seats to secure a majority in the 630-seat parliament, a challenging task given their differing economic and migration proposals. The far-right party dominated in eastern Germany, while the Left Party made unexpected gains, appealing to young voters. Merz has expressed support for Ukraine, continuing Germany's role as a major weapons supplier, but has not committed to future military actions.