Germany’s CDU/CSU conservative alliance has won the majority of votes in the country’s election, paving the way for Friedrich Merz to replace Olaf Scholz as the next chancellor.

According to projections on February 23 (early February 24 Hanoi time), the CDU/CSU, led by Merz, secured over 28% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of current Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to receive only 16% support.

The far-right AfD party finished second, garnering over 20% of the vote—nearly double its 2021 election result, according to ARD television. However, mainstream German parties have ruled out forming a coalition with AfD. With these results, 69-year-old Merz is set to replace Scholz as Germany’s next leader.

Merz’s Priorities: Stronger Europe, Tougher Immigration Policies

"My absolute priority is to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so we can gradually reduce our dependence on the U.S. for defense," Merz declared on February 23. He has also repeatedly vowed to crack down on illegal immigration into Germany.

Before taking office, Merz must form a new coalition government, a process that typically takes weeks or months. However, he has pledged to complete negotiations by April 20.

To secure a governing majority, Merz may seek an alliance with the SPD and the Green Party. However, CSU, the sister party within the CDU/CSU alliance, has so far rejected any coalition with the Greens, who won 12% of the vote.

The FDP, which played a key role in the collapse of Scholz’s coalition in November 2024, managed to surpass the 5% threshold required to remain in parliament. Meanwhile, the far-left BSW is currently at 4.9%, just shy of the minimum needed for parliamentary representation.

(Sources: AFP, Reuters)

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