Election posters showing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and CDU top candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The 69-year-old faces lengthy coalition negotiations after the far-right AfD surged to a historic second place in a fractured vote following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's unloved three-way alliance.
Friedrich Merz faces complex coalition negotiations after the far-right AfD surged to a historic second place in a fractured vote after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's unloved three-way alliance.
Friedrich Merz's conservative party is the likely winner of the German general election, while current Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party experienced its worst result since the late 19th century.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats after what he called 'a bitter election result.'
That paves the way for their candidate, Friedrich Merz (pictured), to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor after coalition talks. The second was that the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) had surged to its best-ever score,
That paves the way for their candidate, Friedrich Merz (pictured), to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor after coalition talks. The second is that the hard-right Alternative for Germany ( A f D) had surged to its best-ever result,
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and conservative frontrunner Friedrich Merz effectively ruled out serving together in the same cabinet, whatever the outcome of Sunday’s election.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be succeeded by conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz after his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), secured the largest vote share in Germany's national elections on Sunday.
Germans are set to take to the polling stations on Sunday to decide on their next government in Sunday's federal election. Four candidates are competing for the top chancellor job, incumbent Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD),
According to the exit polls and partial counting, Merz’s Union bloc garnered around 28.5% votes, while the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany's support was projected to be 20.5%.