Second Place Goes to Far-Right AfD
Chancellor Scholz's SPD Falls to Third
Merz Expected to Begin Coalition Talks Immediately
In the German federal parliamentary election, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) alliance emerged as the largest party, surpassing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD).
According to the final vote count by the Federal Election Commission on the 23rd (local time), in the party vote across 299 constituencies, the CDU recorded 22.6% and the CSU 6.0%, achieving the highest vote share.
Following them, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 20.8% of the vote, placing second, while the ruling SPD trailed with 16.4%. The SPD's current coalition partner, the Green Party, received 11.6%, and The Left party garnered 8.8% of the vote.
The populist alliance B?ndnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), which split from The Left party last year, received 4.972% of the party vote, and the pro-business right-wing Free Democratic Party (FDP) got 4.3%, both failing to enter the parliament. According to German election law, a party must exceed 5% of the party vote or win at least three constituency seats out of 299 to be allocated seats.
ZDF broadcasting predicted that out of the total 630 seats, the CDU-CSU alliance would secure 208 seats, AfD 152 seats, SPD 120 seats, the Green Party 85 seats, and The Left party 64 seats.
With the FDP and BSW failing to enter parliament and the combined seats of the CDU-CSU alliance and SPD exceeding the majority threshold of 315 seats, a grand coalition between the two parties from the right and left has become possible for now. The exact seat distribution is expected to be finalized on the 24th.
The CDU-CSU alliance is expected to immediately begin coalition negotiations with the SPD. If the coalition is successfully formed, CDU leader Friedrich Merz is anticipated to become Chancellor. Merz stated immediately after the exit poll results were announced, "The world will not wait for us," and pledged to conclude coalition talks by Easter, April 20.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
