Dear readers,

On Feb. 23, Germany went to the polls after the so-called “Ampel” coalition, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and consisting of the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the Free Democrats, had split up.

As is usual in German parliamentary democracy, no party won an absolute majority of seats in the Bundestag in those elections. But there is a clear election winner: the Christian Democratic Union, whose chairman, Friedrich Merz, will now enter negotiations with parties or a party of his choice in order to form a coalition that has a majority in the Bundestag.

Even if it takes some time until a coalition agreement is concluded, the elections have shown one thing: democracy in Germany is vibrant, strong, and resilient. This is also demonstrated by the high voter turnout of 83.5%–the highest turnout since reunification! Needless to say, the elections were fair and conducted in accordance with federal law. During the election campaign, all parties were able to present their programs, and the campaign was neither affected nor restricted in any way.

Neither the election result nor democracy in Germany is called into question by the transparent efforts to spread disinformation and propaganda (for example, videos of allegedly manipulated ballot papers) aimed at dividing and polarizing society. The relevant authorities immediately debunked the corresponding false news.

Germany will remain able to act until a new government is formed, with the current government remaining in office in a caretaker capacity, with the same powers as a regular government. In regard to foreign policy issues, there is broad consensus among the potential coalition partners.

We can therefore be proud of our resilient democracy, with a strong constitution supported by an active civil society that is committed to democratic values and pluralism–taking to the streets, for example, against anti-democratic trends if necessary–a stable democracy that can also withstand extreme opinions.

As Germany continues to navigate this transition, we remain confident in the strength of our democratic institutions and the active role our society plays in safeguarding them.

Warm regards,

Hans Stocker
Deputy Consul General