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Germany’s Friedrich Merz promised to move swiftly to unite Europe and “reach independence” from the US after his right -wing block won the federal election.
In a choice where Germany moved to the right, the Christian Democrats of Merzi (CDU/CSU) first came with 28.5 percent of the votes on Sunday, leaving it to at least one coalition partner to secure a parliamentary majority that works.
Germany’s far -right alternative to Germany (AFD) came the second, doubling its vote for its highest part of it sometimes about 21 percent.
Free liberal Democrats and remote alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) failed to win enough votes to enter the Bundestag, increasing the number of places held by larger parties.
The result gives boredom the possibility of forming a two-legged government with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) democratic party, albeit with a few parliamentary majority.
But the strong show by AFD and the left Die Linke risks limiting the Merz House for Maneuver to increase investment, including the expansion of the protection budget.
Within hours of the closing of surveys, Merz stated that Germany had to radically recover its security agreements and end a decades in Washington, saying US President Donald Trump was “largely indifferent” to Europe’s fate.
“I’m in close contact with many prime ministers – leaders of the EU government,” Merz said. “And it must be an absolute advantage to strengthen Europe as soon as possible so that, step by step, we actually achieve independence from the SH.BA”
He added: “I wouldn’t think I would have to say something like that. . . But after Donald Trump’s statements, it is clear that Americans, at least this US government, are largely indifferent to Europe’s fate. “
Merz said he was eager to form a government as soon as possible given the great challenges that Germany and Europe face. “The world will not expect us,” he added.
The euro was strengthened up to 0.7 percent before withdrawing 0.3 percent higher to $ 1,0484 while the German standard Dax index increased 0.7 percent in early trading in Frankfurt.
Kaja Kallas, EU chief, EU diplomat, on Monday told reporters that he hoped Merz would be able to form a government “as soon as possible, as we really have to continue with decisions at the European level that requires German participation. “
Merz, who said he was not sure of NATO’s future, also highlighted Washington’s interventions in the German election campaign and compared it to Russian intervention.
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The Trump administration has openly judged AfD and criticized Germany’s main politicians for refusing to cooperate with a party that has flirted with slogans of the Nazi era, asked for sanctions on Russia and called for mass expulsion of migrants.
Trump has blinded Europe in recent weeks by conducting direct talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and has threatened to withdraw US security guarantees from the continent. Germany hosts the largest contingent of American troops located in Europe.
Trump earlier on Sunday described the election result as evidence that “Germany people were tired of the agenda of the usual sense, especially for energy and immigration, which has prevailed for so many years.”
Merz has little chance, but to form a coalition with the SPD, which won just over 16 percent of the vote – its worst result since 1887. But he avoided the scenario of the need for more than one partner of The coalition, an unbearable result that party strategists were afraid of.
Greens, who were disappointed by their show of less than 12 percent, did not earn enough places to be a valuable alternative to the SPD.
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The results mark a large rhythm on the right in Germany after a series of deadly attacks by migrants fueled the anti-immigrant feeling.
Voter participation has reached the highest since the German reunification in 1990, according to Exit survey data, at a level of 84 percent.
Merz will inherit an economy that has suffered from two years of stagnation between high energy prices and Chinese competition. The CDU leader has promised to promote reforms and revitalize growth, as well as help Germany play its full role in Europe.
But AFD and Die Linke gained enough places to block changes in the “debt brake” that limits the borrowing of the German government, making it more difficult for a new government to regulate destroyed infrastructure and significantly increase protection costs.
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Holger Schmieding, economist in Berenberg Bank, warned: “Merz may be a chancellor with small fiscal space.”
Alice Weidel, co-leader of AFD, celebrated the party by doubled its part of the vote from 2021 to secure the biggest right-wing profits in Germany since World War II.
“We have led a wonderful campaign,” Weidel said, after she stressed that her party was open to coalition talks with CDU/CSU to meet the “will of the people”.
Scholz indicated that he would withdraw from the front line politics after “a bitter score” for SPD.
Visualization of data by Martin Stabe and Jonathan Vincent. Additional reporting by William Sandlund in Hong Kong and Henry Foy in Brussels
