Germans head to the polls in a national election expected to return Friedrich Merz’s conservatives to power while giving the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) its best-ever result, marking a significant rightward shift in Europe’s largest economy.
Germany votes on Sunday in a national election that could see a shift in the country’s leadership, with Friedrich Merz’s CDU/CSU bloc leading the polls but unlikely to secure a majority. Coalition negotiations are expected to be complex, as political divisions over migration and the role of the far-right AfD remain deep.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose coalition collapsed last November, could remain in a caretaker role for months, delaying economic policies aimed at reviving Germany’s struggling economy. Two consecutive years of contraction, along with concerns over U.S. trade policies under Donald Trump, have raised fears about Germany’s economic future.
The election takes place against a backdrop of rising voter discontent, with pessimism over living standards at its highest since the 2008 financial crisis. Public sentiment on migration has also hardened, a stark contrast to Germany’s "Refugees Welcome" stance in 2015.
The AfD, founded 12 years ago, is on track to finish in second place for the first time in a national election. The party has received unexpected support from U.S. figures, including Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk, who have criticised European migration policies.
Despite its gains, the AfD is unlikely to enter government, as mainstream parties continue to reject cooperation. However, analysts suggest its growing influence could pave the way for a stronger showing in 2029.
Coalition talks are expected to be lengthy, with analysts predicting a renewed "grand coalition" between Merz’s conservatives and Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), or a more complex three-way coalition if smaller parties secure enough votes to enter parliament.
EU leaders are cautiously optimistic that the elections could lead to a more stable German government capable of advancing domestic and European policies. Some also hope Merz will reform Germany’s restrictive debt brake, which critics argue has hindered public investment.
With political fragmentation on the rise, voters remain divided. "A lot of my friends are voting for the conservatives because this government didn’t work so well, and Merz’s international standing is quite good," said civil servant Mike Zeller, 26. "I just hope enough parties agree on a government so they can leave the AfD out."
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Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Speaking during a closed-door deposition in New York on Thursday (February), former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she did not “recall” ever meeting the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and had “no knowledge of his crimes”.
Pakistan’s declaration of an “open war” with Afghanistan must be understood in the context of months of escalating violence, regional analysts have said, describing the latest developments as a significant shift in the nature of the conflict.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the United States and Israel launched "major combat operations" in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Two people were killed and around 40 injured when a tram derailed in central Milan on Friday (27 February), a spokesperson for the local fire service said.
The United States is expected to deploy six additional aerial refuelling aircraft to Israel as Washington continues to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East while nuclear negotiations with Iran remain under way.
Pakistani air strikes hit a weapons depot on the western outskirts of Kabul overnight, triggering hours of secondary explosions that rattled homes across the Afghan capital and left residents fearing further violence.
A senior Iranian official has warned Israel to “prepare for what is coming”, insisting that Tehran’s response to the latest escalation in the Middle East will be made openly and without limits.
Cuba has released extensive details of a deadly midweek shootout at sea, showing rifles, pistols and nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition that it says were carried by a group of exiles who attempted to enter the island by speedboat.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday (27 February) they were ready to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in several Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, and Islamabad declared the neighbours were now in "open war".
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Two people were killed and around 40 injured when a tram derailed in central Milan on Friday (27 February), a spokesperson for the local fire service said.
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