UPDATE - Conservative leader Merz declares victory in Germany's crucial election

UPDATES WITH LATEST PROJECTIONS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, ADDS REMARKS BY MERZ

By Anadolu staff

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

“We have won this election,” Merz told jubilant party members during a celebratory speech at party headquarters and called on his political rivals to move past the heated election campaign.

“The world is not waiting for us, and it is not waiting for lengthy coalition talks. We must now quickly regain our ability to act,” the conservative leader said. 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.

According to the latest projections by public broadcaster ARD, the Christian Democrats were projected to win 28.8% of the votes, up from 24% in the previous federal election in 2021. However, the CDU/CSU alliance of conservatives fell short of the absolute majority required to govern alone.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) faced a historic defeat in the elections, projected to receive 16.2%—the lowest vote share for the center-left party since 1949.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was set to score its best-ever result in a federal election, polling at 20.3%. Having almost doubled its vote share compared to the previous election, it has become the second-most powerful political force in the country.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s Green Party was set to win 12.7% of votes, with a 2% drop compared to the previous elections in 2021. The socialist Die Linke party made the biggest surprise of the election night, winning 8.5% of votes. The party's support surged from 3% in polls three months ago, bolstered by its campaign promising tougher opposition to the rise of AfD.