Italian
The German elections have marked a political turning point: the CDU returns to power, while the far right strengthens and the center-left suffers a setback
GERMANY. The results of the German parliamentary elections have confirmed the pre-election predictions: the center-right CDU has emerged as the winner, the far-right AfD has solidified its position as the second-largest force, and the outgoing center-left government has suffered a heavy defeat. The question now is not just who won, but with whom the likely next Chancellor Friedrich Merz will govern.
With 28.6%, the CDU regains its role as the driving force of German politics, but the real shake-up is the 20.1% obtained by Alternative für Deutschland. Not enough to enter the Government – the so-called “cordon sanitaire” remains strong – but enough to certify a clear trend: a significant portion of the German electorate is ready to turn its back on traditional parties. The message is unequivocal, although not entirely new.
The big loser is Olaf Scholz, whose SPD collapsed to 16.3%. The “traffic light” coalition, which united social democrats, greens, and liberals, foundered under the weight of unmet expectations, internal tensions, and growing dissatisfaction with the country’s economic and migration management. The Greens, with their 12.4%, pay the price for having been in government during times of crisis, while the Liberals of the FDP even risk being left out of Parliament.
Then there is the novelty of the BSW by Sahra Wagenknecht, a party halfway between left-wing populism and nationalist drifts, which is risking everything on the threshold of 5%. An additional element of instability in an increasingly fragmented political landscape.
What happens now? Merz will have to weave alliances to ensure a stable majority. The game is open: a return of the “grand coalition” with the SPD is unlikely, but not impossible; an agreement with the Greens or Liberals seems more plausible, albeit complicated. What is certain is that Berlin will have a more conservative Government, in a Europe where right-wing winds blow ever stronger.
Image: Steffen Prößdorf
