Friedrich Merz claims victory for German conservatives and the far right heads for the strongest result of the post -war period

The forecasts based on exit surveys and partially count support Merz 'Union Bloc to almost 29% and alternative for Germany or AfD, about 20% – the result of 2021.

They supported the Scholz Social Democrats with a little more than 16%, far lower than in the last elections and under their former all -time low of 20.5%compared to 2017. 13%.

Of three smaller parties, a hard left-wing party reinforced and won up to 9% of the votes after a remarkable comeback during the campaign. Two other parties, the Pro Business-Free Democrats and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, floated around the threshold of 5%support, which was necessary for the winning of sitting.

Whether Merz will have a majority to form a coalition with Scholz 'Social Democrats or to need a second partner depends on how many parties come to parliament. The conservative guide said: “The most important thing is to restore a sustainable government in Germany as soon as possible.”

“I am aware of responsibility,” said Merz. “I am also aware of the extent of the task that is now ahead of us. I am closer with the greatest respect and know that it won't be easy. “

“The world out there is not waiting for us and it is not waiting for boring coalition talks and negotiations,” he told cheering followers. “We have to be able to act quickly again.”

The Greens candidate for Chancellor, Vice Chancellor Robert Habecksaid Merz would do it good to moderate his tone after a sometimes highly competitive election campaign.

“We saw that the center is weakened overall, and everyone should watch themselves and ask themselves whether they didn't contribute to it,” said Habeck. “Now he has to see that he behaves like a chancellor.”

The Greens were the party, which was least part of the participation in Scholz's unpopular government. The Secretary General of the Social Democrats, Matthias Mierschsuggested that their defeat was no surprise – “This choice has not been lost in the past eight weeks.”

AfDS candidate for Chancellor, Alice Weidelsaid: “We have become the second sound.” The strongest submission of the party was 12.6% in 2017 when it entered the national parliament for the first time.

She said that her party “is open to coalition negotiations with Merz 'party and that” otherwise no change in politics is not possible in Germany “. But Merz has repeatedly and categorically excluded to work with AfD, as well as others Mainstream parties.

AfD-Co-Leader Tino Chrupalla Told the cheering followers that “we have achieved something historical today.”

“We gained 100%,” he said. “We are now the political center and have left the edges behind.”

Scholz sentenced AfD's success. He said, “It must never be something that we will accept. I will not accept it and will never do it. “

The head of the German Jewish organization, the main organization, Josef SchusterThe Daily Newspaper said the world nazism, that plays the fears of people and offers them only alleged solutions. “

More than 59 million people in the nation of 84 million were entitled to choose the 630 members of the lower house of Parliament, The Bundestagwhich will take your seats under the glass dome of the Berlin Reichstag building.

___

Published with the approval of the Associated Press.