Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) has secured its strongest-ever result in a national election, surging to second place with over 20 %, trailing only behind Friedrich Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance, which won with more than 28 %.
According to estimates from ARD and ZDF public broadcast, the party almost doubled its aid, making it the most popular far-right movement since World War II.
AfD celebrates’ historical’ benefits
AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla called the effect a landmark success, telling supporters:” We have achieved something ancient today”. At the group’s election day gathering in Berlin, visitors waved European colors as Alice Weidel, the group leader and candidate for president, insisted AfD was now “firmly anchored” in Germany’s social structure.
Weidel also argued that her party may defeat the major events in the upcoming vote if the CDU/CSU refused to “implement the will of the people.” The group has received encouragement from well-known figures from abroad, including billionaires Elon Musk and US vice chairman JD Vance, both of whom have played significant roles in US President Donald Trump’s administration.
‘Bitter’ blow for Olaf Scholz
While AfD celebrated, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats ( SPD ) suffered a crushing defeat, finishing in third place with just over 16 % of the vote—its worst postwar result. Conceding fight, Scholz admitted to his supporters:” This is a terrible election effect. This is an election fight”.
Scholz congratulated the liberal CDU/CSU union, led by Friedrich Merz, which won with around 28.5 % of the voting. But, he reaffirmed his position against working with AfD, stating,” That must never be anything that we will recognize. I did not embrace it and will never do so.”
Merz’s partnership problem
Despite his party having the most seats, Merz now faces a difficult obstacle in forming a partnership. He vowed to “re-establish a sustainable government in Germany as soon as possible,” but the divided political climate makes it challenging. The Greens, with around 12 %, and the hard-left Left Party, which made a surprise comeback with up to 9 %, could play key roles in talks.
Despite its great gain, the AfD remains shut out. Merz has ruled out working with them, saying,” We have fundamentally different views, for example, on foreign policy, on security policy, in many other areas, regarding Europe, the euro, NATO”.
