French President Macron congratulates Germany's Merz on election win

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday congratulated Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative party, on his victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

“I have just spoken with Friedrich Merz to congratulate him on his victory in the German elections,” Macron said on X.

Highlighting the significance of unity in what he called a "period of uncertainty," Macron reiterated the commitment to strengthening cooperation between France and Germany.

"We are more determined than ever to achieve great things together for France and for Germany and to work for a strong and sovereign Europe," he stated.

Macron also emphasized the need for close collaboration as Europe navigates pressing global and regional challenges.

Additionally, he spoke with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz to "express (his) friendship."

His remarks come ahead of his visit to Washington, where he is set to meet US President Donald Trump.

During the visit, Macron aims to encourage Trump to include European leaders in any potential diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine war.

Trump’s recent statements have sparked concern across Europe after he suggested he might engage in direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, potentially excluding European and Ukrainian participation.

Germany’s conservative alliance, consisting of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), secured victory in the parliamentary elections with 28.6% of the vote, according to provisional results announced Monday by the Electoral Commission.

Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party finished second, garnering 20.8% -- a 10.4 percentage point increase from the previous election.