Conservative leader Friedrich Merz declares victory in German election

BERLIN

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz declared victory after his Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) won nearly 29 percent of the votes in Sunday's federal election, securing a clear lead over other parties.

Merz has vowed to rule Europe's largest economy by returning to his Christian Democrat party's conservative roots, ease restraints on business and crack down on irregular immigration.

A long-time rival of centrist ex-chancellor Angela Merkel within the CDU party, Merz has attacked her open-door migrant policy and drawn her ire for accepting support from the far-right AfD on the flashpoint issue in parliament.

At age 69, trained lawyer Merz boasts a strong business background — including at investment fund BlackRock and on many corporate boards, which made him a millionaire —but has never held a government leadership post.

Nonetheless, the combative orator seeks to project a statesman-like persona and has voiced confidence he can deal with mercurial U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he has labelled "predictably unpredictable."

As the three-way coalition of centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz floundered, Merz as head of the opposition CDU/CSU block rained withering fire on the outgoing "green-left" government.

Polls had long declared Merz — despite lukewarm personal approval ratings — the strong favourite to oust Scholz and bring an end to what Merz labels "three lost years" for Germany.

In a recent blistering parliament speech, Merz likened Scholz and his allies to business managers who have bankrupted a company but still ask to extend their contracts by four years.

"Do you know what the owners would say once they stopped laughing?" Merz asked mockingly. "They would politely ask you to leave the company. That's how it is in normal life."

Merz's campaign promise was to revive the ailing economy and rebuild Berlin's international standing for "a Germany we can be proud of again."

On Sunday a jubilant Merz — eager to get going with his decades-old dream to run the country — urged speedy talks to forge a new coalition government, warning that "the world out there is not waiting for us."

Merz emphasized that quickly forming a stable coalition government was crucial for addressing domestic challenges, strengthening Germany's presence in Europe, and rebuilding international trust.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised German Christian Democrats' election victory, calling it a "great day for Germany and the U.S."

"Much like the U.S., the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration, that has prevailed for so many years," Trump said on X.

Stating that the Conservative Party in Germany won the "very big and highly anticipated election," Trump congratulated Germany, saying: "Many more victories to follow."

Alice Weidel, the lead candidate of the far-right AfD party, called for a coalition with the CDU after the first projections were announced in Sunday's federal election.

“First of all, it should be noted that this is a historic success for us; this is the best result we have achieved so far. We have been able to double and thus far surpass the last federal election result,” Weidel told public broadcaster MDR on Sunday.

She added: “I have also just formulated that our hand is outstretched to implement the will of the people; we want to make policy for our country, and we are open to coalition negotiations with the CDU, and accordingly the CDU must only take it; otherwise, no policy is possible in Germany; it goes on just the same with black-red-green.”

Merz, on the other hand, ruled out a coalition with the AfD.

In an interview with public broadcaster ZDF on Sunday, Merz emphasized that a coalition with the AfD is “out of the question.”

Markus Soder, party leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), with which the CDU formed a parliamentary group, explained that a coalition with the AfD would “turn our country into a vassal state of Moscow.”