Germany's Bundestagswahl 2025 Reshapes Political Landscape
The CDU emerges as the strongest party, the AfD sees historic gains, and the FDP faces existential challenges after falling out of the Bundestag.
- The CDU secured 28.5% of the vote, becoming the strongest party nationwide but falling short of expectations, with some pollsters overestimating its support by up to 3.5 percentage points.
- The AfD achieved significant gains, particularly in eastern Germany, where it dominated in states like Saxony and Thüringen, and doubled its vote share in many western regions, signaling a major political shift.
- The SPD suffered heavy losses, with its worst-ever performance in several regions, while the Greens and Left Party also struggled to maintain relevance in a changing political environment.
- The FDP failed to meet the 5% threshold, losing its representation in the Bundestag, prompting leadership speculation, including a potential bid for party leadership by Wolfgang Kubicki.
- Reforms to Germany's electoral system reduced the Bundestag's size, eliminating overhang and compensatory mandates, which led to some directly elected candidates not securing seats.
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