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February 23, 2025

AP PHOTOS: Conservatives celebrate German election win as the far right sees historic success

BERLIN (AP) — German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, projections show.

The Associated Press, Associated Press

Friedrich Merz, front right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), gestures while addressing supporters at the party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Friedrich Merz, right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), shake hands at the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz waves after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Leader of far right AfD Alice Weidel waves a German flag at the AfD party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the party's headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool)ASSOCIATED PRESS

People watch first prjections at a pub in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left, Amira Mohamed Ali, co-leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and member of the Greens, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Markus Soeder, leader of the German Christian Social Union, (CSU), Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) and Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), attend a tv discussion after the national election in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Stefanie Loos/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Exterior view of the Reichstag building, home of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)ASSOCIATED PRESS

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, left, and the top candidate Robert Habeck attend the election party of the Greens (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.(Fabian Sommer/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

People react after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Willy Brandt sculpture can be seen next to a screen with the election forecasts at the headquarters of the German Social Democratic party (SPD) in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Hannes P Albert/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the party's election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the party's election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: 'Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman' (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gesa Schoenwolff, right, casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne)ASSOCIATED PRESS

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz casts his vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), casts his vote at a polling station Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)ASSOCIATED PRESS

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, jogs in the early morning accompanied by a bodyguard in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ASSOCIATED PRESS

BERLIN (AP) — German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, projections show.

Alternative for Germany nearly doubled its support, the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

Merz said he was aware of the dimension of the task he faces to make a governing coalition and said that “it will not be easy.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats.

The election was dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over Europe’s alliance with the United States.

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