Germany's elections: Uncertainty over Merkel's successor as left-leaning SPD narrowly wins

While Germany’s left-leaning Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the country’s federal election, uncertainty over the next leader remains as the results showed that the party won narrowly. According to CNN, the SPD won the German federal election with over 25% votes, beating the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the centrist-right conservative party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, which took 24.1% votes.

There is now uncertainty over who will be the next leader of Germany. But both the SPD and the CDU, with its coalition partner The Christian Social Union (CSU), have said that they want to begin coalition negotiations to form a new government. 

According to the media outlet, likely coalitions will now either see the SPD or DCU/CSU forming a government with the Green Party (which took over 14% of the votes), or the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) that garnered 11.5% votes. For now, Merkle will stay in the job until a coalition deal is negotiated, which could take months. It is worth mentioning that after Merkel’s election win in 2017, it took more than five months for a government to be formed.

Germany ‘wants next chancellor to be Olaf Scholz’

SPD leader Olaf Scholz has said that voters wanted him to be the next German chancellor. In remarks at his party’s headquarters, Scholz said that “many citizens” have elected the SPD because they want a change in government. He added that citizens also voted for the Social Democratic Party because they “want the next chancellor of this country to be called Olaf Scholz”. 

The 63-year-old politician, who has served as the vice-chancellor and as German Finance Minister, further went on to say that the electorate has spoken “very clearly” and strengthened three parties - the SPD, the Greens and the FDP. Scholz added that this is a “clear mandate” that the citizens have expressed. “These three should lead the government,” he added. 

However, by contrast, CDU leader Armin Laschet reportedly said that the party cannot be content with this result. She noted that the party would do everything to try to build a coalition. Laschet added that the CDU had “got a mandate against a leftist government”. Meanwhile, Greens leader Annalena Baerbock said that the party led a campaign like never before - “around the clock, until last night, the last second”. 

(Image: Twitter)