German 2025 election: Over 59 million voters to decide next chancellor today

No fewer than 59.2 million eligible voters, including millions who have already cast ballots by post, will determine the next chancellor in Germany as Germans head to the polls today in a pivotal election that has drawn intense scrutiny from Europe and the United States.

The voting follows a campaign dominated by concerns over the country’s faltering economy and a series of deadly attacks that have made migration and security central issues.

The 69-year-old Conservative leader, Friedrich Merz, is the frontrunner to become Germany’s next chancellor. He has pledged to address the country’s challenges within four years—an ambitious promise given Germany’s economic struggles and ageing infrastructure. 

If Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) secure victory, he will need to form a coalition, most likely with Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), whose government collapsed late last year.

On the eve of the election, Merz reaffirmed that his party would not collaborate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is projected to become the second-largest political force, surpassing Scholz’s centre-left SPD.

The AfD’s growing popularity, particularly among young voters on platforms like TikTok, has disrupted Germany’s political landscape. One campaign video from AfD leader Alice Weidel has already amassed four million views.

Meanwhile, the election is taking place amid heightened tensions over migration and security following five deadly attacks since last May, including three incidents in Magdeburg, Aschaffenburg, and Munich during the campaign period.

A stabbing at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial on Friday night has further fuelled the debate. The suspect, identified as a Syrian national, allegedly carried out the attack with an antisemitic motive, keeping migration in the headlines.

The AfD has capitalised on these concerns with its controversial “remigration” policy, which advocates deporting migrants who have committed crimes. However, critics warn that the term has been used to suggest mass deportations of migrants and their descendants. The party is also campaigning to leave the European Union, scrap climate policies, and restore relations with Russia.

Germany’s election results will have significant international implications, particularly as the country remains Ukraine’s second-largest military aid provider. The next government will face a United States administration that has condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator and fractured Western unity against Russia.

Additionally, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance has drawn controversy for meeting with Weidel and advocating an end to the long-standing political taboo against engaging with the AfD.

Domestically, the AfD’s rise has sparked protests, with demonstrations against the far right taking place across German cities on Saturday. The party has already gained a strong foothold in eastern states, but its influence is expanding in western regions, particularly in Germany’s former industrial centres. In Duisburg’s Marxloh district, once a thriving hub for coal and steel, young voters expressed frustration over economic decline and a lack of job opportunities.

“We’re young, we need work and they don’t give us a chance to find training,” one man said, voicing support for the AfD. Another added, “We’ve no money; everything’s more expensive; there aren’t many jobs anymore and there’s so much dirt here.”

Despite the AfD’s limited social policies, its hardline stance on migration and security has resonated with voters who feel disillusioned with traditional parties. Prof. Conrad Ziller of the University of Duisburg-Essen noted that AfD supporters have become increasingly vocal. “Voices of people in favour of the AfD have become so loud, so if you’re in a doctor’s waiting room, it’s really common to hear people chat about getting angry about the established politicians and government,” he said.

Polls indicate that up to 20% of voters were still undecided heading into election day. The results are expected to become clear in the evening after polling stations close at 18:00 (17:00 GMT).

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