Germany goes to the polls: amid political tensions and demonstrations, candidate Merz rules out alliance with AfD

German Elections 2025: Merz Closes Door to AfD and Far Right

With less than three weeks to go until the legislative elections on 23 February 2025, Germany is in the midst of a heated election campaign. Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and candidate for chancellor, has forcefully reiterated that his party will not cooperate with the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland), a statement greeted with a double ovation at the extraordinary congress in Berlin.
"There will never be any understanding with AfD. It is a party against everything that the CDU and Germany stand for: it is anti-European, against NATO and the connection with the West.”, Merz said. These words sparked a long ovation lasting more than seven minutes from the delegates, a sign of a newfound cohesion within the party after weeks of controversy.

CDU proposals for migration and economic environment 

Despite the clear rejection of any agreement with AfD, Merz defended his party's hard line on immigration, which provides:

• Permanent border controls.
• Expulsion of all undocumented foreigners, including asylum seekers.
• Unlimited detention for foreigners considered “dangerous”.
• Back to the eight-year period to obtain German citizenship.

Sul On the economic front, CDU proposes a recovery plan based on:

• VAT reduction in the catering sector.
• Greater flexibility in working hours.
• Overtime tax exemption.
• RRestoration of diesel subsidies for agricultural vehicles.

Protests Across the Country Against CDU and AfD

The election campaign is taking place in a climate of great tension. In Berlin, over 200.000 people took to the streets to protest against a possible agreement between CDU and AfD, carrying the slogan “We are the Brandmauer”, the protective wall against the far right. Similar demonstrations also took place in Hamburg, Leipzig, Cologne and Stuttgart, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of citizens.

Early elections after Scholz's no-confidence vote

The 2025 elections are held more than a year early following the no-confidence vote of the centre-left government led by Olaf Scholz, who lost the vote of confidence with 394 votes against. After the failure of the “traffic light” coalition between the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals, the President of the Republic, Frank Walter Steinmeier, dissolved the Bundestag, giving the go-ahead for early elections.

The economic situation: Germany from locomotive to “Sick man of Europe”

In addition to the immigration issue, the economic crisis is one of the central themes of the elections. For the first time since reunification, German GDP is expected to contract by 0,1% this year, in sharp contrast to the eurozone's 1,1% growth. The crisis has hit the industrial sector hard, with Volkswagen forced to launch a plan of cuts.

The candidates 

The main candidates to lead the next German government are:

• CDU-CSU: Friedrich Merz
• Verdi: Annalena Baerbock / Robert Habeck
• SPD: Olaf Scholz
• AfD: Alice Weidel
• Lefties: Jan van Aken / Heidi Reichinnek
• Liberals (FDP): Christian Lindner
• Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW): Sahra Wagenknecht

While Friedrich Merz appears to be the favourite, Olaf Scholz has already started his election campaign, promising to raise the minimum wage to 15 euros an hour. Meanwhile also AfD continues to rise in the polls.