Germany’s centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) claims victory in the preliminary results of the Bundestag elections.
Angela Markel to step down after 16 years
The party, led by its Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz defeated the conservative party of the outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Social Democrats claim 25.9 per cent of votes in Germany
In the elections where the conservative party saw their worst ever performance, the SPD gained 25. 9 per cent votes, according to the country’s Federal Returning Officer.
Merkel’s CDU-CSU alliance trailed behind with 24.1 per cent votes. The Greens secured 14.8 per cent and finished third. The FDP won 11.5 per cent.
Will form a pragmatic government for the country-Scholz
As his party claimed victory, the SPD leader Scholz told the country on television they would form a “good, pragmatic government” in Germany.
In the absence of a majority to govern alone, he will have to form coalitions with the other parties.
The conservative CSU- CDU and SDP have ruled together before this election, and Scholz has been the country’s finance minister since 2018.
Scholz clarified that three parties, namely SPD, the Greens, and the Liberals, performed well in the elections, and it was time for the conservatives to step back.
“The clear mandate the citizens of the country have given [shows that] these three should form the next government”.
He had also said that the citizens have voted for his party since they wanted a change. “They want the next Chancellor to be Olaf Scholz,” he said.
The conservative bloc’s Merkel to step down as German Chancellor after 16 years
The right-leaning conservative alliance consisting of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) got 24.1 per cent of the total votes.
Political observers note that the conservative bloc, led by the outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, is heading towards its worst vote share per cent since World War II.
Merkel’s CDU had acquired 32.9 per cent in the last elections and is out of power for the first time in 19 years.
As Merkel did not stand for re-elections this time, millions of voters who had preferred her earlier but with no strong allegiance to the conservative bloc switched sides.
The most famous leader of the country is stepping down after 16 years. But until the parties form a stable coalition, she will remain the caretaker leader of the country.
Certain media outlets noted that a coalition formation may not happen until December since no party has claimed the majority.
The Free Democrats were the preferred coalition partners of the SPD, and their poor vote share will complicate the coalition-building process.
CDU-CSU’s Armin Laschet says they have a right to try to form a government
Despite the poor performance of the conservative bloc, its Chancellor-face Armin Laschet is hopeful of forming the next government.
“We will do everything we can to form a leadership of the CDU-CSU,” he told his supporters. He reminded his SPD rival that elections are more about forging a coalition and not winning “an arithmetic majority”.
He also observed that in Germany, it has not always been the case that the parties in the first place always provided the Chancellor.
As the liberals and Greens together make up over 25 per cent of the votes, government formation in the country will depend on which sides they take.
One of the most critical issues during the election campaign, climate change, will remain the key focus of the next governing coalition.
Exit polls had suggested the tightest race in years between the parties.
