Part 2/7:
Preliminary results indicate that Merz is projected to lead significantly ahead of his closest competitors, setting the stage for coalition negotiations aimed at establishing a new government. Conversely, the current Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has faced a challenging night as his party, the Social Democrats, has recorded its worst electoral outcome since World War II, with a mere 16% of the vote. This dismal performance stands in stark contrast to their historical results, which previously hovered around the 40% mark. The implications are profound—Scholz's administration may soon be regarded as a one-term government, complicating his legacy as he attempts to lead Germany after Angela Merkel's lengthy tenure.