For its part, it is likely that the AFD opens new paths in German politics, since opinion polls suggest that it could become the second largest political group in the country, something unpublished for an extreme right party since the Nazi era.
Elections in Germany: Who are the main candidates for chancellor
The candidate for the Chancellor of the Christian Democratic Party of Germany, Friedrich Merz, speaks during the television program “Klartext”, broadcast by the ZDF public broadcaster in Berlin on February 13, 2025. Michael Kappeler/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Friedrich Merz
Friedrich Merz, of the Cristianodemocrata Union (CDU), the former Chancellor Angela Merkel party, has long been the favorite in this contest. With more than 30% in the surveys, the Union Party, composed of the CDU and its Brother Bávaro party, the CSU, seems destined to become the largest party in Germany and re -lead German politics.
The CDU has adopted a much more aggressive policy towards immigration than the view in the Merkel era of open borders.
In the last weeks of the campaign, Merz catapulted immigration to the foreground, to the point that he has been accused of leaving the door open to collaborate with the extreme right.
At the end of January, it caused consternation throughout the country when it tried to make the Bundestag, or German Parliament, approved a law that imposed stricter controls of immigration.
His willingness to use the support of the AFD for this broke a taboo rooted in German politics – although it finally failed to approve a binding bill – and generated massive protests in German cities.
However, in an interview in the Congress of his party in early February, Merz reiterated CNN to work with AFD was impossible. “They are against… of all that we are, of what we build in the Federal Republic of Germany. There is no cooperation with this party, ”he said.
Merz is not a newcomer to German politics, but this is his second management as a politician. Between 1989 and 1994, Merz was Eurodiputa by Germany. He was subsequently a member of the Bundestag, where he represented the CDU until 2009. He left the policy to work as a company lawyer, where he was part of numerous supervision tips, including that of the Blackrock investment giant.
Now it represents Brillon, his hometown, and is reputed to be a millionaire and have a private pilot license. He made two failed attempts to become Chief of the CDU, in 2018 and 2021. He officially assumed the direction of the party in 2022.
Alice Weidel
The AFD Chancellor candidate, her Alice Weidel collide, is staunchly anti -immigration. In 2024, that space obtained good results in the regional elections. It became the largest game in Turingia, for the first time since the Nazi era, and was in second place in another regional vote.
Opinion polls suggest that their popularity has also moved to the national level. Since the early elections were convened, the party occupies second place, with about 20%, and the figures have barely varied.
Speaking to CNN in a massive rally of the AFD, in which Elon Musk appeared by videoconference, Weidel said that one of his first measures would be “to close our borders, control them and then expel all the illegals.” It is a policy that she calls “remigning”, a term that has Nazis connotations.
Alice Weidel.jpg
Olaf Scholz
The Foreign Minister’s party, the SPD, could become the great loser of the elections. After having become the most voted party in the 2021 elections, opinion polls point to a setback of about 10 points. This would place them not only behind the AFD, but fighting for third place with the green.
Scholz came to power in a wave of Pos Merkel optimism, but his “traffic light” coalition has been harassed by internal struggles from the beginning. Many of those disagreements became public and the country tired of the constant disputes.
All this led to Scholz and his SPD have a rather negative image. A survey last September placed Scholz as the least popular German chancellor since reunification.
Olaf Scholz Chancellor from Germany
Photo: EFE
Scholz’s popularity was so low that, just before the elections, he ran the rumor that his party wanted Boris Pistorius, current Minister of Defense, replaced him as Kanzlerkandidat (candidate for chancellor) of the party.
The candidate for Foreign Minister of the Green Party, Robert Habeck, gestures while talking with Citizens during the television program “Klartext”, broadcast by the ZDF public broadcaster in Berlin on February 13, 2025. Michael Kappeler/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Robert Habeck
The Green Party, which in national surveys around 13%, must also be considered a party to take into account.
It is unlikely to gather enough votes to be the biggest party, but could play an important role in the formation of the next government. The Verdes candidate for Chancellor is Robert Habeck, current Minister of Economy of the Nation.
Robert Habeck.jpg
Elections in Germany: what are the main themes
Immigration and borders
The immigration It has been the main theme of these elections, partially fed by a series of great repercussion attacks allegedly perpetrated by asylum or immigrants applicants.
In recent months, Scholz reintroduced controls at the borders with neighboring European countries, a measure that many see as an attempt to win the favor of voters who could bow down the AFD populist party.
The economy
The German economy, which is usually a power, stagnated and the general opinion is that important reforms are needed. In January, the Federal Statistics Office of Germany declared that the country’s GDP had contracted for the second consecutive year, 0.2%, after a contraction in 2023 of 0.3%.
Many of the winds against the economy have been caused by issues that escape the control of Scholz but, even so, voters believe that their government has not done little to try to rectify the situation.
One of the main causes of difficulties is Russia’s war in Ukraine. Shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, Germany ended its usual strong dependence on Russian gas.
To this is added China’s growing competition in the automobile sector – a huge gear of the economic machinery of Germany – and an imminent commercial crisis with a belligerent Trump administration, are worrying perspectives.
In relation to the debate on the economy, special attention will be given to the reactivation of the important car industry in the country. The Central Bank has said that industry problems are “structural” and, therefore, are exacerbating the ballast of the economy.
Large companies such as Volkswagen, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, face the perspective of mass dismissals and factoring closures.
What are the possible results of the election in Germany
German governments are almost always formed in coalition, since no party manages to gather more than 50% of the votes necessary to govern alone.
This time it will not be different, and there are multiple options of possible coalitions. The winner of the elections will seek a partner to form a majority, but the formation of government may take weeks or even months.
Whatever the result of the vote, however, one thing is almost safe: the AFD cannot be part of any coalition.
For a peculiarity of German politics, government coalitions usually have a name. The previous coalition government, headed by the SPD (red), included the Green (Green) Party and the Liberal Party (yellow); Together they were known as the “traffic light” coalition.
Source: CNN/DW
Source: Ambito
