German election results: consequences for the EU
German politics is shifting to the right, and that has consequences for the EU.
Published on February 24, 2025
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German politics is shifting to the right. The CDU/CSU has won Sunday's elections, while the radical right-wing AfD has made significant gains. The outcome of the German elections not only has an impact at the national level, but also influences European politics.
Now that the votes have been counted, it is clear that the CDU/CSU won the German parliamentary elections by a wide margin. The Christian Democrats obtained 28.6% of the votes and can now enter into talks with the SPD about a possible coalition. Attention was mainly focused on the extreme right-wing AfD, which received 20.8% of the votes.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has indicated that he wants to form a new German government before Easter. It seems that Merz will do this together with the SPD, without the AfD.
Leading position Europe
Brussels hopes that Germany will resume its leading role within the European Union. In recent years, Chancellor Olaf Scholz was seen as cautious and hesitant, partly due to the divisions within his coalition.
The EU is facing a number of crucial decisions. For example, there are talks in Brussels about support for Ukraine and increasing defense spending. Although all EU countries agree on the need to send more money to defense, there is still much disagreement about the specific details. Merz has already offered an opening to this. A lot of EU members are happy with that.
Influence of the AfD
Nationally, the AfD has achieved about 20% of the votes, which is a doubling of its previous support and a record. Other parties had already indicated prior to the elections that they did not want to govern with the right-wing radicals.
The AfD is not only known for its anti-immigration policy. The party also has a strong influence on the climate debate. Climate spokesperson Karsten Hilse has said that his party “denies the influence humans have on the climate”. The party has also taken a protectionist stance on innovation issues, for example when it comes to foreign labor. This is at a time when industry actually needs new workers.
Although the party did not emerge from the elections as the largest, the victory of the far-right AfD will still have an impact on the EU. For example, the greater the AfD's gains, the more the new chancellor will be inclined to listen to their supporters, especially in areas such as immigration and defense. This could have an effect on the EU.
Germany votes (far) right: implications for innovation and climate
The shift to the far right affects local politics in Germany, but perhaps beyond.