Incumbent Chancellor Scholz of the governing SPD has acknowledged a “bitter” defeat, congratulating Merz on the results ... been in recession for the past two years, and its key industries ...

Alternative for Germany (AfD) came in second with 20% of the vote, its best election results since its founding ... and downplaying Germany's Nazi past. AfD functions under government restrictions ...

Read More: Why Germany Is at a Crossroads The election took place seven months earlier than planned after Scholz’s unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years ... about 20.5% ...

came in second with 20.8%. The Federal Electoral Committee is expected to verify and announce the final official results of the election in the Bundestag on March 14. The big winner of the ...