German Chancellor Scholz Concedes Defeat, Calls it ‘Bitter Election Result’- wna24

Berlin: Polling in Germany has concluded on Sunday, soon after exit polls were out with opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives were on course for a lackluster victory in a national election.

While German far-right, Alternative for Germany (AfD) led by leader Alice Weidel nearly doubled its support, the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II, projections showed.

Exit polls showed opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives leading in national election, and with his victory claims is most likely going to be the next Chancellor of Germany.

It wasn’t immediately clear how easy it will be for Merz to put together a coalition government, as the projections, based on exit polls and partial counting, put support for Merz’s Union bloc at just under 29%.

Alternative for Germany, or AfD, about 20% — roughly double its result from 2021.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats after what he called “a bitter election result.”

Also Read: Will Friedrich Merz Be Germany’s Next Chancellor?

Few projections showed Scholz’s Social Democrats finishing in third place with their worst postwar result in a national parliamentary election, placing support for the party at just over 16%, a blowing decline from the last election.

Whether Friedrich Merz will require one or two coalition partners will depend on how many parties secure seats in parliament.

Conservative leader said, “The world out there isn’t waiting for us, and it isn’t waiting for long-drawn-out coalition talks and negotiations,”

AfD’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, declared, “We have become the second-strongest force,” showcasing her party’s growing influence. She also said that AfD is “open for coalition negotiations” with Merz’s party, arguing that “otherwise, no change of policy is possible in Germany.”

However, Merz has repeatedly and categorically rejected any collaboration with AfD, a stance shared by other mainstream parties.

Contenders in Germany have put forward contrasting plans to revive the country’s years-long struggling economy, which has been shrinking for the past two years and has struggled to achieve real growth for an extended period. Reviving the economy will be a central task for the new government.

Migration was a key focus of the campaign, especially after a series of deadly attacks carried out by immigrants in recent weeks. This issue dominated political discussions, with parties offering different solutions to address the growing concerns over immigration.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right opposition, promised to prevent individuals from entering Germany without proper documentation and to increase deportations if he becomes chancellor in response to the migration crisis.