  German election 2025

Following the conservative CDU/CSU's victory in the Bundestag elections, its chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has announced that talks aimed at forming a governing coalition with the SPD will begin within the next few days. Europe's press discusses what to expect from the man who looks set to lead Germany.

After Sunday's elections to the German Bundestag, the leader of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, is widely expected to initiate coalition talks with the SPD. Together, the two parties hold a majority in the new parliament. Europe's media take a look at what this could mean for Germany's role on the continent.

The AfD, parts of which Germany's Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified as "definitely right-wing extremist", has emerged from the German federal election as the second strongest party, having secured 20.8 percent of the vote. In the states of the former East Germany it even came first. Europe's press analyses the results and seeks reasons for the weakening of the political centre.

Germany will elect a new government in a snap federal election this Sunday. The latest polls put the CDU/CSU in the lead at around 30 percent, followed by the right-wing populist AfD with 20 percent. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD and the Greens are trailing behind with 16 and 13 to 14 percent, respectively. The Left Party (6 to 8 percent), Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance and the FDP (both at 4 to 5 percent) all stand a fair chance of securing seats in the Bundestag. What's at stake for Germany and Europe here?

Two weeks before Germany's Bundestag elections take place, the chancellor candidate of the ruling SPD, Olaf Scholz, and the CDU/CSU candidate Friedrich Merz have faced off in a prime-time TV debate. There were no fierce verbal attacks but the audience share was high at more than 40 percent. Commentators' assessments of the debate vary widely.

Last week, in the middle of the election campaign, Germany's Bundestag voted on proposals to tighten migration policy brought by the CDU/CSU opposition parliamentary group. An initial motion was supported by a fiercely debated majority achieved with the support of the AfD, which is suspected of right-wing extremism by the country's domestic intelligence agency. Another motion on specific changes to the immigration laws failed two days later. Europe's press takes a worried look.

A majority of the German Bundestag on Wednesday approved a non-binding motion put forward by the CDU/CSU faction to tighten the country's migration policy, which includes the introduction of permanent border controls. The vote was hotly contested as it passed with the votes of the AfD, which is classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected right-wing extremist organisation. Europe's press weighs in.

On Monday the majority of the members of the German parliament withdrew its confidence in Chancellor Olaf Scholz, officially clearing the way for new elections on 23 February. Scholz will be running again as the top candidate of the SPD, but the leader of the opposition Friedrich Merz (CDU) is ahead in the polls. Europe's press takes stock.

After the collapse of the traffic light coalition between the SPD, FDP and Greens, Germany seems headed for new elections on 23 February, according to the latest plan. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had initially hoped to get certain major decisions through parliament before holding a vote of confidence in the Bundestag. Europe's press observes the situation in Berlin with concern, but also sees opportunities.

A policy paper by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) that was leaked on Friday has triggered a major dispute among the three members of Germany's traffic light coalition government in Berlin. The SPD and the Greens have harshly criticised the economically liberal proposals set out in the paper, which include cutting business taxes and postponing climate protection targets. Commentators are not alone in wondering whether this is the beginning of the end for Germany's government.

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative CDU, has been nominated as the chancellor candidate for his party and its Bavarian sister party CSU in the country's next general election in 2025. "Merz is our man," CSU leader Markus Söder said on Tuesday, after his own withdrawal from the race.Commentators take very different views on the new candidate.