Election winner Friedrich Merz rules out coalition with far-right AfD

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) - After declaring victory in the German election on Sunday, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz ruled out a coalition with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

According to the latest projections, the CDU bagged 28.6% of the votes, while the AfD came second with 20.4%.

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.”

Merz pointed out that the CDU had “very clearly won the election,” adding: “We do not know at the moment how this federal government can come about.”

However, he added that he hopes “for one coalition partner and not two.”

The party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), is currently in third place with 16.3% of the votes, according to the latest projections.

During an interview on ZDF, Scholz stated that he is neither seeking a role in the new government nor does he want to take part in the upcoming coalition negotiations.