Germany's Far Right Has Best Election Since World War II

Germany voters made a change at the top on Sunday, delivering a victory to centrist conservatives in the parliamentary elections and giving the far right its best result since World War II. Friedrich Merz, who's now in position to become the nation's chancellor, declared victory minutes after the first projection based on exit polls was released, Politico Europe reports. "We must now quickly regain our ability to act so that we can do the right thing at home, so that we are once again present in Europe," Merz said, "so that the world can see that Germany is being governed reliably again." Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced the support for Alternative for Germany, and President Trump celebrated the election results.

Exit polls—which have been historically accurate in Germany—had Merz's Union bloc running at about 29% and Alternative for Germany around 20%, which is double the anti-immigrant party's showing in 2021. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats polled about 16%, per the AP, and the Green Party 13.5%. Scholz conceded Sunday, telling supporters "this is a bitter election result." And he decried the fact that "an extreme right-wing party like the AfD is getting such election results. That must never be something that we will accept. I will not accept it and never will." On social media, Trump proclaimed it a "great day for Germany."

Merz's Christian Democrats will need to partner with at least one party to form a governing coalition. He could end up partnering with small parties, per the New York Times.
Merz had said he'd refuse to work with AfD, as had Scholz and other party leaders. Parts of the AfD's organization are considered extremist by German intelligence agencies. The party's second-place finish will shake the continent, at least, per Politico; Germany is the most powerful nation in Europe. Despite Merz's position, Alice Weidel, the AfD's candidate for chancellor whose supporters include Elon Musk, said she would consider forming a coalition with the winning party. "We will hound the others to make sensible policies for our country," she said. (More German election stories.)