German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz won the country’s election Sunday, placing the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party in second place despite making gains.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat, calling the election results “bitter,” The Associated Press reported.
Scholz’s Social Democratic party placed third, behind the AfD, in its worst result in a national election in decades.
With more than 200 constituencies’ results declared, Reuters reported that the conservative party earned 28.8 percent of the vote with the AfD trailing at 20.9 percent. The Social Democrats came in at third place at 16.3 percent.
The AP noted that Germany, as the most populous country in the European Union, will be key to the ongoing conversation in the region, particularly as it is Ukraine’s second-largest weapons supplier.
The election was intended to occur in September, but after the U.S. election in November, Scholz’s economic troubles forced a snap election.
As the country grapples with migration, Merz put special emphasis on curbing it in recent weeks. The election also took place in the fallout of President Trump’s closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin and as peace talks sideline Ukraine, causing unease in the region.
Vice President Vance recently met with Alice Weidel, the head of the AfD. The meeting took place after Vance gave a speech in which he said he believes the biggest threat to Europe is censorship and not Russia or China.
Trump celebrated the conservative win with a post online, likening the election results to those in the U.S.
“MUCH LIKE THE USA, THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY GOT TIRED OF THE NO COMMON SENSE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY ON ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, THAT HAS PREVAILED FOR SO MANY YEARS. THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote on Truth Social.
