Germany’s top runner promises to lead in Europe:
Germany’s current best political leaders are making their final move for votes ahead of Sunday’s major election, a war that could reshape the whole of Europe, not only its country.
The conservative candidate from the CDU, Friedrich Merz, has told his supporters that under his leadership, Germany would be more assertive in Europe. He also vowed to push the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) out to the political margins. Ending his campaign for the Christian Democrat party at a rally in Munich, he was also expected to appear, along with his rival candidates, on a TV “speed-dating” show to connect with potential voters.
German politics has been at a standstill for months, following the collapse of the previous administration. At current everyone in Europe fingers crossed that this election may bring stability to Germany, the continent’s largest economy, which has been stuck in a lingering recession.
But change won’t be abrupt. No single party can govern alone, and negotiations to form a coalition will take weeks to finalize. Campaigning focused on two: reviving the economy and managing migration and security. The second has been the subject of emergency since a series of lethal assaults in May 2024.
Many cities, including Mannheim, Solingen and Munich, have been attacked, some terrorists being immigrants. Just this week, a Spanish tourist was stabbed at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, but his injuries were not serious. These attacks have helped boost the party even more — the AfD currently polls around 20%. Under Alice Weidel, the AfD’s uncompromising stance on immigration has struck a chord with many, especially with younger voters on platforms like TikTok.
Weidel, who has become extremely popular and attracted support from figures like Elon Musk and US Vice President JD Vance, called for strong border controls and the deportation of criminal illegal migrants. However, her use of the term “remigration” has fed fears of bulk deportation.
Places like Solingen, where last year a Syrian man was accused of murdering three people, have also seen protests against the rise of far right politics. 35-year-old Natalie is an activist and she demands that everyone should be accepted and that the borders should not be closed, arguing that the rights of families who have lived in Germany for many years must be protected. All the mainstream parties have refused to form a government with the AfD, but as the party rises in popularity it could mean a very large number of seats in the Bundestag, perhaps as many as 150 out of 630. Merz’s probable coalition partner is probably Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), even if Scholz himself may not be the leader. In third place in the polls, the SPD is now trying to attract the large number of undecided voters, and some are pinning their hopes on the voters being able to tell the difference.
At a rally in Darmstadt, near Frankfurt, Merz was a bit too cocky; however, his comments regarding the international political transition were rather strong. He was accused of the faltering political order and of how established friendships are disintegrating. He accused the ruling government of absence of leadership for Germany abroad, and he promised to bring Germany’s clout back to the continent if elected.
Throughout the election campaign, Germans have tuned in to see their political leaders argue on television. Weidel has frequently been central to these debates. Recently, in a meeting with JD Vance, Weidel argued that the growth of far-right politics stems from the public’s dissatisfaction with the government. Meanwhile, Merz has faced criticism due to his past links with the AfD, a far-right party, and has had to assure voters he will not form alliances with such groups.
In Darmstadt, demonstrators have gone public with their opposition to Merz, with a student carrying a placard that says “Love instead of Merz.” Despite these demonstrations, Merz has committed to his vow of a government without AfD participation, in an effort to silence rising fears regarding the growth of the far-right in Germany.
