77 m. ago AP PHOTOS: Conservatives celebrate German election win as the far right sees historic success

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, projections show.

Culture

3 h. ago Olaf Scholz concedes defeat as Germany's Conservative Party storms country's election

The exit poll suggests the CDU has topped today's ballot securing 28.5 per cent of the vote while the AfD have taken 20 per cent.

Politics

4 h. ago German election live: Conservatives projected to win and far

Exit polls show CDU/CSU as largest party with about 29%, with Alternative für Deutschland on about 20%German election 2025: results in full – liveOpinion is divided as Germany faces what some describe as the “most important election in their lifetime”. The country is expected to shift to the right as Friedrich Merz is in pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor, while far-right party AfD could become the second most powerful party.So earlier today I asked voters at a polling station in central Berlin what they expected from the election and what they wanted the next chancellor to focus on. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago German election live: voters head to polls amid fears over Ukraine security, Trump and rise of far right

Conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz could unseat chancellor Olaf Scholz but threat of gains by far-right AfD looms largeBerlin correspondentIn the run-up to today’s vote, the Guardian’s Kate Connolly travelled more than 850 miles on trains across Germany to hear what its citizens have to say about the state of their nation. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago The Latest: Polls open in Germany in crucial general election

German voters are heading to the polls for a national election

Politics

17 h. ago Discontented Germany votes in an election with economy, migration and far

German voters are choosing their new government in an election dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine and Europe’s alliance with the United States

Politics

26 h. ago One last push before Germany goes to the polls: Final poll predicts large gains for far

A little more than a month after a general election was called following a vote of no confidence against chancellor Olaf Scholz, Germans will have their chance to vote tomorrow.

Politics

26 h. ago Norwegian drama 'Dreams (Sex Love)' takes top prize at the Berlin Film Festival

A Norwegian film about love, desire and self-discovery won top honors at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday

Events

3 d. ago Don’t mention the war: in Germany, politicians are hiding the truth about defence spending | Paul Taylor

By centring the discourse on immigration, MPs have handed support to the far right – and hidden a ticking economic timebomb from votersThe candidates to lead Germany’s next government are avoiding telling voters painful truths before Sunday’s crucial general election about Russia’s war in Ukraine, the coming disengagement of the US from Europe and the huge defence funding that is needed. Instead, the debate has largely focused on how to revive the ailing German economy after two years of recession and how to control migration, which has fuelled support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland.The conservative CDU/CSU leader, Friedrich Merz, has swerved speaking about the need for massive borrowing to pay for a surge in defence spending because many of his supporters oppose extra debt. The Social Democratic (SPD) chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is dodging discussion of sending German troops to Ukraine as part of a possible European security force if a ceasefire agreement is reached bec...

Politics

3 d. ago German voters prepare to elect a new parliament. Here's what to expect on and after election day

German voters go to the polls Sunday to elect a parliament that will determine who runs the country for the next four years

Politics

4 d. ago Europe is looking to Germany for leadership – but these elections will dash its hopes again | Cas Mudde

The CDU is a big player in the European parliament, but its predicted win this Sunday won’t change Germany’s inward focusWhat a difference four years makes. In 2021, the world watched the German elections to see who would succeed the EU’s uncrowned “queen”. Angela Merkel had become a symbol of liberal democracy in the era marked by the first Trump administration. In Germany, two colourless figures explicitly vied to replace her. Deep down everyone knew that German leadership in Europe was coming to an end. But no one could have foreseen how steep the fall would be.Today, Germany is a country struggling with itself, increasingly sidelined in Europe and the world. The second Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 largely destroyed Merkel’s rosy legacy, exposing her opportunistically soft approach to authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Under Merkel’s Social Democratic party (SPD) successor, Olaf Scholz, the country has become as pal...

Politics

5 d. ago 4 candidates want to be Germany's next chancellor. Who are they?

Four candidates are bidding to be Germany’s next leader in Sunday’s election

Politics

5 d. ago Europe at war over Starmer's Ukraine peace plan: Germany's Scholz storms out of crisis summit and slams UK's 'completely premature' troops pledge

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz left a crisis summit in Paris between European leaders early and a 'little irritated' labelling the premier's calls as 'highly inappropriate'.

Events

6 d. ago The new world order is exactly what it looks like. Are we too frozen with fear to name it? | Zoe Williams

The truth is paralysing. But after JD Vance met the far-right leader Alice Weidel in Germany, it is time to be clear about what we are seeingJD Vance’s decision, while in Germany, to meet the far-right AfD leader, Alice Weidel, yet decline a meeting with the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, would have caused more alarm, I feel, if it hadn’t come accompanied by so much other signalling. The vice-president of a nation engaged in tearing down its own institutions lectured the whole of Europe on its project to “destroy democracy”, which is absolutely textbook: he’s describing black as white, openly turning observable reality on its head. It’s unsettling, for sure, but that’s because it’s audacious, not because it’s complicated. It’s the simplest move of statecraft ever – show the world who you are, dare them to call you on it.Meeting Weidel was the second simplest move – show the world who your allies are, dare them to mention it, or see if instead they turn themselves in knots trying to bring ...

Politics

6 d. ago Europe and US must not be divided over plan for peace in Ukraine, Scholz says after emergency summit – Europe live

Olaf Scholz says it is only possible to support Ukraine if allies contiue to finance itSwedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson told Reuters that deploying Swedish troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force is “absolutely a possibility.”His comments build on earlier declaration from Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenegard (9:40). Continue reading...

Politics