Bundestag election 2025 in the live ticker Latest projection is out +++ One change makes you sit up and take notice +++ AfD gains 20 percent

Scholz, Merz

Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

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Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

2 / 2

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

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Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

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Scholz, Merz

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Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

Germany elects a new Bundestag on Sunday. All developments in the ticker.

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19:14

Video: Scholz takes responsibility here

SPD leader Olaf Scholz has taken responsibility for the historically poor result. "We must now move forward together," he said.

7.09 pm

Huge disappointment among SPD members

"I am simply disappointed" - "A black evening": the mood in the SPD is not good after the historically poor result. This is also shown by a survey of members. Meanwhile, the SPD headquarters in the Willy Brandt House empties quickly and many of those present have already left.

7 p.m.

Latest projection: BSW nears the 5 percent hurdle

The latest projection is out - with a small but significant change. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) has gained 0.1 percentage points in the last hour and now stands at 4.8 percent. Even in the European elections, it initially looked as if the BSW would not make it in. During the count, however, BSW made steady gains and still made it in - will the same happen today in the Bundestag election?

18:53

Alice Weidel's speech in the video

The AfD is likely to have gained around 20 percent on this election Sunday. Shortly after the first forecasts were announced, leader Alice Weidel spoke to her supporters.

6.44 pm

Scholz takes responsibility

"This is a bitter election result and a clear defeat," says Scholz to his supporters. "We must now move forward together." Scholz emphasizes that he takes responsibility for the poor election result and congratulates Friedrich Merz on his victory. He then addresses the AfD. "I will never accept the fact that such a party gets such election results."

18:36

Now Merz is speaking

Election winner Friedrich Merz now addresses the CDU/CSU ranks in the Konrad Adenauer House. He thanks various people - and first and foremost CSU leader Markus Söder for the "great cooperation." Merz probably had to do that - a week ago, he snubbed Söder in the big Chancellor exchange of blows on RTL. Merz then emphasized that he was aware of the difficult task that now stood before him. "But nobody out there is waiting for us, we have to get back on the world stage. Germany is now reliably governed again." Merz thanks the people: "Now it's time to make a racket - and from tomorrow we'll get to work."

18:32

Cheers in the AfD ranks

The AfD almost doubles its share. When the first result is announced, cheers erupt.

6.27 pm

First projection: Only a few changes

The first projection is available. According to ARD, the FDP with 4.9 percent and the BSW with 4.7 percent are still struggling to gain ground. The CDU/CSU maintains its leading position with 29%. Compared to the first forecast, there are only minimal deviations overall.

18:18

Dobrindt (CSU) is pleased with a "good result"

Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is pleased with the "good result" from Bavaria. He reaffirms the CSU's rejection of a coalition with the Greens. "There will be no policy change with the Greens," said Dobrindt. They would not be needed for a coalition.

6.15 p.m.

AfD: "Historic success"

"We have doubled in size, that is a historic success," says AfD leader Alice Weidel. The hand is outstretched and the party is open to coalition negotiations. There is no need for major compromises for the CDU/CSU coalition. "The CDU has effectively written off our election program," she told ARD. In future, "sensible proposals from the CDU/CSU will be agreed to" and: "We will chase the other parties to make sensible policies for our country."

6.13 pm

SPD: "A very bitter evening"

"This is a historically bad result, a very bitter evening," SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch tells ARD. The CDU/CSU now has the mandate to govern. "We will probably have to wait a very long time until the possible constellations are made." Whether the election defeat will have personnel consequences will now have to be seen.

6.10 p.m.

Cheers from the Greens

The Greens are the only traffic light party to escape with a black eye. The cheers are correspondingly loud.

6 p.m.

AfD doubles its share, FDP could be kicked out of the Bundestag

The first election forecast is out. The CDU/CSU is currently gaining around 5 percent, the SPD is losing almost 10 percent. The Greens are likely to escape with a black eye. The FDP, on the other hand, is trembling about entering the Bundestag and currently stands at 4.9%. The AfD, on the other hand, gained almost 10%, almost doubling its share of the vote. The Left Party is surprisingly strong: it currently has 8.5%. The alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) could also still enter the Bundestag, currently at 4.7 percent.

4.32 pm

Voter turnout in the afternoon significantly higher than in 2021

By early afternoon, significantly more people had cast their votes in the Bundestag election than in 2021. The turnout at polling stations was 52 percent by 2 p.m., the Federal Election Administration announced. In the last Bundestag election, this figure was 36.5 percent at this time. This does not yet include postal voting.

2.42 pm

AfD election advertisement on T-shirt triggers police operation

Police intervene at a polling station in the Berlin constituency of Steglitz-Zehlendorf. An AfD sympathizer had election advertising on his T-shirt, as reported by the Tagesspiegel newspaper. Election advertising is prohibited in polling stations. The electoral administration called the police, who ordered him to leave.

Political quiz: How well do you know German politics?

1.57 pm

Chrupalla expects AfD result above 20 percent

AfD federal chairman Tino Chrupalla cast his vote in the Bundestag election this morning at a polling station in Gablenz in eastern Saxony. He expressed confidence that his party would achieve "a very strong result of over 20 percent". The AfD will win a large number of direct mandates, especially in the east. "I think that is a clear political statement from citizens and voters."

12.58 p.m.

Chancellor in riot mode - Gerhard Schröder's bizarre appearance at the Elephant Round in 2005

Since 1969, the leading politicians of the parties in Germany have appeared on television after every Bundestag election. The "Elephant Round" in 2005 went down in history - thanks to a bizarre performance by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. You can see the performance in the video here.

"Nobody but me..."Chancellor in riot mode - why Schröder's Elephant Round 2005 will never be forgotten

11.52 a.m.

Scholz and Merz have voted - CDU chancellor candidate: "It will be good"

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cast his vote in Potsdam. Meanwhile, his closest rival, CDU candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz, was confident as he cast his vote in his constituency in Sauerland: "It's going to be good," he said outside the polling station.

AfD candidate for chancellor Alice Weidel said she had already voted by post days ago.

Scholz, Merz



Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

2 / 2



Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

1 / 2



Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

2 / 2



Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone

1 / 2



Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

2 / 2

Scholz, Merz

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Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone



Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone



Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone



Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) casts his vote at the polling station in Potsdam.

Image: Keystone



Friedrich Merz, CDU party chairman and candidate for chancellor, casts his vote at the polling station in the Schützenhalle Arnsberg-Niedereimer in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Image: Keystone

10.28 am

Chancellor Scholz warms up

Chancellor Olaf Scholz jogs through Potsdam on election morning accompanied by bodyguards. The Brandenburg state capital is part of his constituency. He is running against Foreign Minister Baerbock, among others.

10.11 a.m.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier casts his vote

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier casts his ballot at the polling station in the Erich-Kästner elementary school in Berlin-Dahlem. Around 59 million eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their vote until 6 p.m. - if they have not already used the postal vote option.

9.05 a.m.

FDP politician: "This is unworthy of a democracy"

In an interview with "t-online", FDP politician Konstantin Kuhle sharply criticizes the restrictions for Germans living abroad in the Bundestag elections. "It's a scandal because many Germans abroad are being prevented from exercising their democratic right. That is unworthy of a democracy."

The deadlines are too short, especially in early elections, so that many votes cannot be counted in time, says Kuhle. He assumes that "individual German citizens will file objections against the election result whose vote was not counted".

In numerous countries, German voters reported frustration when voting by post for the election, which took place under shortened deadlines.

8.10 a.m.

"We are a country living in fear and terror"

German political scientists Jörg Siegmund and Klaus Schroeder have analyzed the initial situation for the Bundestag elections for blue News. Read here what is particularly important for them today.

Germany has a choicePolitical scientist: "We are a country living in fear and terror"

8 a.m.

Polling stations open - Bundestag elections in Germany have begun

The eagerly awaited federal election has begun in Germany. They will decide how Europe's largest economy will be governed over the next four years.

Polling stations have been open since 8 am. The first predictions on the outcome of the election are expected immediately after they close at 6 pm.

According to the polls, the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) with the current opposition leader Friedrich Merz as candidate for chancellor are likely to become the strongest force in the new parliament with around 30 percent. The incumbent Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has little chance of being confirmed in office by the future Bundestag. According to the polls, his Social Democrats are trailing in third place with 15 percent, behind the right-wing populist AfD with a good 20 percent.

The election, which was originally scheduled for September, was brought forward after Scholz's "traffic light" coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens collapsed in November due to a dispute over the federal budget. The new Bundestag will be constituted no later than 30 days after the election.

However, forming a government is likely to take longer. Depending on the outcome of the election, between four and seven parliamentary groups could enter parliament. Clear majorities for one of the traditional political camps in Germany - center-right and center-left - no longer exist.

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