Friedrich Merz Poised to Become Germany’s Next Chancellor as CDU Secures Election Victory » Capital News

Berlin, Germany Feb 23 – Friedrich Merz is on course to become Germany’s next chancellor after his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), emerged as the top party in Sunday’s federal elections, exit polls suggest.

The CDU/CSU secured 28.8% of the vote, well ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which surged to 20.2%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffered a historic defeat, sliding to third place with just 16.2%—its worst performance in decades.

Germany’s struggling economy and immigration concerns dominated voter sentiment, helping the AfD nearly double its previous vote share. However, despite its strong showing, the far-right party is likely to remain sidelined, as mainstream parties refuse to form a coalition with it.

The election results come amid a shifting global landscape, with the Trump administration reshaping historic security ties with Europe and pushing forward with peace talks on Ukraine.

While Merz and the CDU/CSU secured a decisive victory, forming a government will require coalition negotiations, as single-party majorities are rare in German politics. The party’s performance, while a clear win, remains below the levels seen during the leadership of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who never dipped below 30% and secured 41.5% of the vote in 2013.

With coalition talks ahead, Germany faces a period of political maneuvering as parties negotiate the country’s future leadership.