Live: Germans head to polls in high-stakes national election

German president casts his ballot on Sunday

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier casts his ballot for general elections on February 23, 2025 in Berlin. Photo: Odd Andersen, AFP.

Conservatives strong favourites as Germans head to the polls

German voters head to the polls on Sunday, with the conservatives the strong favourites to win under the leadership of Friedrich Merz, who has vowed a tough rightward shift if elected to win back voters from the far-right anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Polls suggest strongest vote for far-right AfD party since World War II

While polls suggest the centre-right conservatives are touted to win the election, they also suggest that for the first time since World War II the far-right party is tracking for its best election results.

The far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has been running in second place with around 20% of the vote — well above its previous best of 12.6% in a national election, from 2017 — and has fielded its first candidate for chancellor in Alice Weidel. But other parties say they won’t work with it, a stance often known as the “firewall.”

Ukraine war and spending on defence

Mainstream parties have vowed to keep up support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. And after the Scholz government reached a NATO target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense, the next administration will have to find a way to keep that going — and likely expand it, in the face of US demands — once a special 100 billion-euro ($105 billion) fund to modernise the military is used up in 2027.

‘Strong leadership in turbulent global times’, key election message, FRANCE 24’s Armen Georgian says

“What we’ve heard from both him (Olaf Scholz) and Merz, the man tipped to be the next chancellor, is strong leadership in turbulent global times,” FRANCE 24’s Europe editor Armen Georgian says.

“It’s hard to overestimate  how much the new world order under Donald trump is being felt here in Germany,” he added, saying a string of election posters he’d seen had mentioned security as a key issue.

No one party likely to obtain a majority

Germany’s electoral system rarely gives any party an absolute majority and opinion polls suggest that none of the political parties is anywhere near one this time. Two or more parties will most likely form a coalition in the coming weeks.

Who can vote in the election?

German citizens aged 18 and up can vote. At least 59.2 million people in the nation of 84 million are eligible, about 2.3 million of them for the first time. Polling stations are open from 8 am to 6 pm local time.

Who are the contenders?

Sunday’s national election race pits the incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz against opposition Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, Vice Chancellor and environmentalist Greens candidate Robert Habeck and for the first time a leader of a far-right party, the AfD’s co-leader Alice Weidel.

Polls open in crucial German elections

Polls have opened in pivotal German election on Sunday.

Conservatives strong favourites as Germans head to the polls

German voters head to the polls on Sunday, with the conservatives the strong favourites to win under the leadership of Friedrich Merz, who has vowed a tough rightward shift if elected to win back voters from the far-right anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Welcome to our liveblog on Germany’s national election

Welcome and thanks for joining us today in our liveblog as Germans head to the polls in a high-stakes national election.