German far-right AfD top candidate courts election winner CDU

GENEVA

Alice Weidel, the lead candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, called for a coalition with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) after the first projections were announced in Sunday's federal election.

“First of all, it should be noted that this is a historic success for us; this is the best result we have achieved so far. We have been able to double and thus far surpass the last federal election result,” Weidel told public broadcaster MDR on Sunday.

She added: “I have also just formulated that our hand is outstretched to implement the will of the people; we want to make policy for our country, and we are open to coalition negotiations with the CDU, and accordingly the CDU must only take it; otherwise, no policy is possible in Germany; it goes on just the same with black-red-green.”

According to the latest projections, top candidate Friedrich Merz's CDU has won the Bundestag elections. According to the third projection, it has 28.9% of votes.

The AfD follows in second place with 19.9% of votes. The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the party of incumbent Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, came a distant third.

The Greens, who are currently forming a coalition with the SPD and the Freedom Party of Germany (FDP), only have 13% of the votes, according to the third projection.

The FDP must be struggling to enter the next Bundestag, as it is currently only at 4.9%.

In Germany, there is a 5% hurdle to enter the Bundestag.