Germany's Merz declares victory as conservatives gain ground in elections

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative opposition, claimed victory in the recent national election. His party, the Union bloc, received about 28.5% of the vote, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) nearly doubled its support to 20.5%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats finished third with just over 16%, marking their worst result since World War II. The election was held early after Scholz's coalition collapsed, amid public discontent over economic issues and migration policies. Merz aims to form a coalition government by Easter, but faces challenges. He has ruled out partnering with AfD, despite their significant gains, while Scholz condemned AfD's success as unacceptable.