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)2025-02-23T20:46:52Z BERLIN (AP) German opposition leader Friedrich Merzs 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. 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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. 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The election was dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europes biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over Europes alliance with the United States. 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the partys headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool) Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the partys headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People watch first prjections at a pub in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) People watch first prjections at a pub in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Exterior view of the Reichstag building, home of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Exterior view of the Reichstag building, home of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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 partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) 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 partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP) Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More 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) 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) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More