Olaf Scholz takes responsibility for SPD's election defeat as CDU/CSU leads in Germany

Germany's national elections resulted in a significant defeat for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), who received only 16% of the vote. The conservative CDU/CSU alliance, led by Friedrich Merz, won over 28%, while the far-right AfD secured second place with more than 20%. Scholz acknowledged his responsibility for the SPD's poor performance and ruled out any cooperation with the AfD. Merz aims to form a new government by Easter, but coalition talks are complicated by the SPD's low support and the mixed results of other parties. The AfD's rise, nearly doubling its support, has raised concerns about far-right extremism in Germany. Merz emphasized the need for European unity amid pressures from the U.S. and Russia, while navigating coalition negotiations and addressing voter concerns.