Visual Breakdown of the German Election Results: Insights & Analysis from DW (February 24, 2025)

In a historic turnout, 83.5% of eligible voters in Germany headed to the polls for an early federal election on February 23. This is the highest participation rate since the country unified in 1990.

The conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, emerged victorious, along with its counterpart, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured second place, marking significant gains for them.

The AfD was the big winner in terms of voter support, nearly doubling its votes. On the other hand, the Social Democrats (SPD), under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, faced a tough outcome, recording their worst result ever. The Free Democratic Party (FDP), which triggered these snap elections by leaving the coalition, also suffered losses and did not meet the 5% threshold needed to remain in the Bundestag.

In Germany’s system, voters have two votes. One vote is for an individual candidate in their local constituency, while the second is for a party. This method ensures that local representatives are elected and that each party’s influence in the Bundestag reflects its overall vote share. Out of 630 seats in the Bundestag, a party needs at least 5% of the vote to gain representation, unless they secure three direct mandates.

Despite the CDU/CSU’s victory, they did not achieve an outright majority. They are projected to gain 208 seats, but to form a government, they need to partner with another party. A coalition with the AfD is off the table, meaning they may look for a partnership with the SPD or possibly the Greens.

Voter movement was noticeable in this election. A significant number of voters shifted from the SPD to the CDU/CSU, with about 2 million transferring their support. The Left Party also benefited from disaffected voters, attracting votes from both the SPD and the Greens.

Young voters, particularly those aged 18 to 24, leaned more towards the far-right AfD and the Left Party. The traditional parties saw a decline in support from this age group. In contrast, older voters favored the SPD and CDU.

Men generally favored conservative choices, voting more for the CDU and AfD, while women leaned towards the SPD, Greens, and Left Party. The voting gap was larger for the AfD, where 7% more men supported the party compared to women. For other parties, the difference was smaller, around 2-3%.

Education played a role in voting patterns as well. Those without a college degree tended to prefer conservative parties like the CDU and AfD. Higher-educated voters were more likely to support the Greens and the Left Party.

Regionally, the AfD gained about 20% of votes nationally. However, their support was strongest in eastern Germany, where they dominated in several states, particularly in Brandenburg and Thuringia. In Thuringia, they garnered over 38% of the vote, significantly outpacing the CDU. Interestingly, in Gelsenkirchen and Kaiserslautern in the west, the AfD achieved majority votes for the first time, although SPD candidates led in first votes in those areas.

The CDU and CSU were more favored in the southern, western, and northern regions of Germany. In Bavaria, the CSU won all constituencies, while the SPD continued to find support in its traditional strongholds in the north and west, reflecting its pro-labor policies.

This election reveals a complex landscape in German politics, with shifts that may shape the future of governance in the country.