Real-Time Updates: Track the 2025 Germany Election Results Live!

Germany is buzzing today as snap elections take place. Around 59 million eligible voters are deciding who will lead the country’s government for the next four years. Polling stations opened at 8 AM and closed at 6 PM.

Before the polls closed, about 52% of voters had already cast their ballots. The counting of votes is underway, and we should see results coming in soon.

So, who are the main players in this election? This year, 29 political parties are competing, which is a drop from 47 in 2021. Here are the key parties and their leaders:

1. CDU/CSU – Led by Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democratic Union is in the race with Merz as their chancellor candidate.
2. AfD – Co-led by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, Weidel is their candidate for chancellor.
3. SPD – The Social Democratic Party is co-led by Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, with Olaf Scholz as their chancellor candidate.
4. Alliance 90/The Greens – Co-led by Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak, Robert Habeck is their chancellor candidate and the current vice chancellor.
5. The Left – Co-led by Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, they have two chancellor candidates, including van Aken.
6. BSW – Led by Sahra Wagenknecht, who is also the party’s chancellor candidate.
7. FDP – The Free Democratic Party is led by Christian Lindner, who is also their chancellor candidate.

As the counting progresses, early polls suggest the conservative CDU is leading with around 30% support, followed by the far-right AfD at about 20%, and the SPD trailing at around 15%.

Voting in Germany involves marking two ballots: one for a local representative and another for a party. To get into the Bundestag, a party needs at least 5% of the national vote. The second vote is crucial as it determines how many seats each party will hold in parliament and influences the makeup of the coalition government.

The Bundestag typically has 598 seats but can expand, although recent reforms have set a limit of 630 seats. Currently, issues like the slow economy, immigration, and the war in Ukraine are dominating the campaign’s discussion. Voters are concerned about raising taxes in the face of economic challenges, as Germany has faced recession and increased unemployment rates above 6%.

As the election unfolds, a coalition government is expected since no single party has historically achieved an absolute majority. The parties with the most votes will nominate their chancellor candidates, who must secure a majority in the Bundestag to take office. The frontrunners for chancellor are:

• Friedrich Merz (CDU) – 69 years old, he took the helm of the CDU after Angela Merkel.
• Alice Weidel (AfD) – 46 years old, co-leader of the AfD since 2017.
• Olaf Scholz (SPD) – 66 years old, the incumbent chancellor since December 2021.
• Robert Habeck (Greens) – 55 years old, current vice chancellor and candidate from the Greens.

Stay tuned for the election results, which are expected to roll in shortly after polls close.

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