Germany's options: A tough leadership test awaits the new chancellor

Much of Mr Merz's leadership of Europe, however, depends on how fast he can revive Germany's economy

The preliminary results from snap elections in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, could have a profound effect on the European Union, its relations with the United States, immigration policies, and climate change. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), have emerged as the largest party in the 630-seat Bundestag. But it is the strong showing of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) that surpassed expectations — it clinched 21 per cent of the vote, nearly doubling its vote share from the last election in 2021. Though the centre-right CDU-CSU is still short of a