Berlin :
Europe must strive for "independence" from the United States, Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, declared after his opposition conservatives secured victory in Sunday’s elections—an outcome that also saw a significant surge in far-right support.
Merz, a traditional conservative with no prior government experience, is poised to lead Europe’s largest economy and most populous nation after his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party clinched 28.6% of the vote, according to preliminary official results.
“Let’s get the party started,” Merz, 69, told supporters at the CDU’s headquarters in Berlin, signaling his eagerness to kick-start coalition negotiations as Europe navigates shifting relations with the US, particularly in the wake of Donald Trump’s influence.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 20.8% of the vote, its highest-ever result, according to preliminary figures. Once regarded as a fringe party with extremist ties, AfD has now cemented itself as a major political force. However, it remains blocked from governing due to a long-standing “firewall” policy upheld by other parties.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffered a major defeat, securing just 16.4% of the vote after the collapse of its “traffic light coalition” government—a stark decline from its 25.7% victory in the 2021 election.
Now, at 69, Merz faces the daunting challenge of leading Germany after a snap election driven by concerns over immigration, economic stability, and the potential return of US President Donald Trump.
“My top priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can truly achieve independence from the USA,” Merz stated during a roundtable event on Sunday.
I never imagined I would have to say something like this on television. But after Donald Trump’s statements last week, it has become clear that the Americans—at least this part of the administration—are largely indifferent to Europe’s fate," he said.
Sunday’s preliminary results mark the end of a heated election period that saw unprecedented involvement from White House officials and reignited fierce debate over Germany’s immigration policies.
Trump sent shockwaves through Europe by advancing peace talks on Ukraine with Russia while excluding both Kyiv and European leaders. His move prompted emergency discussions among European officials to formulate a unified response to the crisis.
Merz also criticized what he described as Elon Musk’s “intervention in the German election campaign” in recent days. "The interference from Washington has been just as dramatic, drastic, and ultimately outrageous as the interference we have seen from Moscow," he said during the televised event.
"We are under immense pressure from both sides, and my top priority is to strengthen unity in Europe."
Big task ahead :
Germany’s post-war reconstruction was anchored in the US-led NATO security alliance, while its later economic prosperity relied on affordable Russian energy and strong trade ties with China.
Now, those once-stable foundations have unraveled. If Merz—who has vowed to shift right and provide strong leadership in Europe—becomes chancellor, he will face a formidable challenge.
Two recent deadly attacks, one in Magdeburg before Christmas and another in Munich last week—both carried out by migrants with different motives—intensified divisions in the lead-up to Sunday’s vote.
The far-right AfD, often accused of scapegoating immigrants, seized on these incidents to bolster its support, even advocating for “remigration”—a policy calling for the mass expulsion of immigrants, regardless of their citizenship status.
In response, both the CDU and SPD ramped up pledges to tighten immigration controls and enhance internal security. Even if the AfD remains excluded from governing, its influence has already shaped the political debate.
Complex negotiations :
Nearly 60 million Germans were eligible to vote on Sunday, according to data from the Federal Statistics Office.
Germany’s political system makes it difficult for any single party to govern alone, leaving coalition-building talks as the next crucial step. However, some aspects are already clear: other major parties have ruled out negotiating with the far-right AfD, effectively shutting it out of power for now.
Merz is expected to reach out to Scholz’s Social Democrats—the other major centrist force—to form a government. Another potential coalition partner is the Greens, who were part of Scholz’s now-collapsed government.
The “traffic light” coalition, an uneasy alliance of three ideologically different parties, unraveled, triggering Sunday’s snap election—a rare occurrence in Germany, which has long been known for its political stability.
Exit polls also showed a notable success for the socialist Die Linke party, which secured 8.8% of the vote, surpassing the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament.
It remains uncertain whether Merz will need one or two partners to secure a majority, as three-way coalitions are rare in German politics. With coalition talks expected to take weeks, Berlin faces a prolonged period of political uncertainty at a time of broader instability in Europe.
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