Friedrich Merz to replace Olaf Scholz as German Chancellor

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be succeeded by conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz after his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), secured the largest vote share in Germany's national elections on Sunday. Scholz’s centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffered a significant defeat. The alliance led by Merz, which includes the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), garnered 28.5% of the votes. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 20.7%, according to German broadcaster ARD.