German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has conceded defeat after Germany’s opposition conservative alliance, the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), emerged victorious in a snap election held on February 23. Exit polls released by public broadcaster ZDF indicate that the CDU/CSU secured 28.6% of the vote, marking a decisive win over Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), which recorded its worst performance since World War II with only 16.5% of the vote.

“This is a bitter election result for the Social Democratic Party. It is also an electoral defeat,” Scholz stated, acknowledging the setback. He extended his congratulations to CDU/CSU leader Friedrich Merz, who now faces the task of forming a new government. “Tonight, we celebrate, and from tomorrow, we start working… The world out there is not waiting for us,” Merz declared in his victory speech.

Adding to the political upheaval, the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its best-ever national result, capturing 20.4% of the vote and securing second place. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel described the outcome as “historic,” emphasizing the party’s readiness to engage in coalition talks. “AfD is open to coalition negotiations… otherwise, no real policy change will be possible in Germany,” she stated.

The snap election was triggered by the collapse of Scholz’s coalition government in November, following the withdrawal of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP). The Greens, another coalition partner, garnered only 12.3% of the vote, while the........

© Blitz