German Elections: What Happened?
Photo Courtesy: Sandro Halank via Wikimedia Commons
German citizens went to the polls on 23 February. That same evening, it became clear that this was a Bundestag election that will be talked about for a long time to come. It has been an election with historic results; one which will cause upheaval, and demand reorganisation.
This election was won by the conservative CDU party with 28%, together with their sister party in Bavaria, the CSU, meaning Friedrich Merz will become Germany's new Chancellor. Although the CDU did not achieve their target of 30%, they celebrated their election win. Election forecasts had already predicted that the CDU would emerge as the strongest force in the election, so there was little surprise on this front.
The main topic of the election campaign was not climate protection and social security, as in 2021, but rather security, the economy and migration. It is precisely these topics that the CDU focused on, with economic growth and stricter asylum policy as the party’s main priorities. A CDU/CSU proposal in the Bundestag to make migration policy more stringent caused a great deal of uproar, indignation and demonstrations this year. A number of CDU members left the party as a result, whilst others joined. Friedrich Merz struck a nerve with this action, as the CDU was only able to put this amendment forward due to the majority of the right-wing AfD party. It was described as a breach of taboo, a ‘tearing down of the firewall’, as it involved a majority with the far-right AfD.
This election has made the surging popularity of the far-right apparent. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) emerged from this election campaign as the second strongest party. With 20%, it doubled its votes and, for the first time since the Second World War, a far right party is the second strongest force. Party leader Alice Weidel has said that ‘the AfD's hand is outstretched towards the CDU/CSU for cooperation’. So far, Friedrich Merz has been clearly reluctant and has repeatedly emphasised that there will be no coalition between these parties, as their fundamental values differ too much.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) achieved its lowest score since its founding. Olaf Scholz, who also focused on topics such as security, the economy, and migration during the election campaign, was unable to convince German voters a second time after two years leading the Ampel coalition. With 16%, the SPD is the third strongest force. Although the election result is very sobering for the Social Democrats, talks and negotiations are currently being held with the CDU/CSU concerning a possible coalition.
The Greens/Bündnis 90 party was part of the former Ampel coalition and also conceded a disappointing result. At 11%, the party suffered a loss compared to the previous election. Chancellor candidate for the Greens, Robert Habeck, tackled difficult issues and moved from the political left to the centre. He adapted to the main topics of the election campaign, but did not ignore the climate; making it clear that climate protection is not just about protecting the environment, but rather about protecting people. Habeck also explicitly stated that the normalisation of the right-wing AfD party is shocking, and, following the election, the party emphasised that it is open to parliamentary cooperation, but not with the AfD.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the election is the success of left-wing party Die Linke, who won 8% despite being underestimated in the past. With a focus on domestic policy issues, politicians (such as party co-leader Jan van Aken) wearing ‘Tax-The-Rich’ T-shirts, and a strong social media presence, they were able to win over young voters.
The strongest parties among young people are the far-right AfD and the left-wing Die Linke, showing Germany’s stark voting contrasts. It is not only the differences between western and eastern regions that are striking, but also the fact that young voters particularly are drifting further apart, and turning to the political fringes.
The Guardian
Following this election, the most important task ahead is for a new governing coalition to be formed quickly. It is unlikely there will be any cooperation with the AfD, and negotiations between parties are currently underway. Alongside a number of major decisions to be made on a national level, the tense geopolitical situation means a strong Germany is essential; the next government’s decisions will help define the future of Europe.