Germany's election winner seeks greater independence from US

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's Christian Democrats, has pledged to achieve greater independence from the US following his party's victory in the federal elections. The CDU/CSU received about 29% of the vote but will need coalition partners to form a government. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured its highest vote share at around 20%. Merz faces challenges in forming a stable coalition, as his traditional ally, the Free Democrats, may not meet the 5% threshold to enter parliament. Voter turnout was the highest since reunification at 84%. The election results reflect a significant shift to the right, with many voters rejecting the previous coalition led by Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, which received just over 16% of the vote.