Germany election: Social Democrats leader calls election results 'a historic defeat'

German Social Democrats leader has called the election results 'a historic defeat' after the party appears headed for third place.

According to exit polls, Germany’s conservative leader Friedrich Merz is projected to win the national election. Merz’s centre-right Union bloc (CDU/CSU) has secured 211 seats with 29% of the vote, ensuring a strong position in the Bundestag. The AfD, with 142 seats and 19.5% support, has significantly improved on its 2017 result but remains politically isolated, with mainstream parties refusing to cooperate with it.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are expected to finish in third place. The Social Democrats have won 116 seats with 16% of the vote, marking their worst postwar result.

Meanwhile, the Greens, led by Robert Habeck, have secured 98 seats with 13.5% of the vote. The election comes amid growing discontent over economic stagnation, migration concerns, and uncertainty over Germany’s role in Europe and its alliance with the United States.

The election, held earlier than scheduled due to the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition, will be followed by complex negotiations to form a new government.

Possible allies include the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the pro-business Free Democrats, who are struggling to secure parliamentary representation.