German Election Delivers Historic Shift as Merz Wins Mandate

The world out there isn’t waiting for us, and it isn’t waiting for long-drawn-out coalition talks and negotiations,

he told cheering supporters

I have no illusions at all about what is happening from America,

he told supporters

In time, we will get there,

said a smiling Stephan Moller, a senior figure and elected official in the Thuringia branch

Olaf Scholzchancellor

Now we have the far-right - the AfD - and the fact they got such a good election result is something we cannot accept and I will never accept,

Mr Scholz said

We have seen the center is weakened overall, and everyone should look at themselves and ask whether they didn't contribute to that,

he said

Germany has learned the hard way over the last three years that such coalitions are anything but stable and severely limit the government's ability to act,

said Woll

These are difficult starting conditions for a new German government, which is facing Herculean tasks in domestic and foreign policy,

said Cornelia Woll of the Hertie School Berlin

Friedrich Merzgerman opposition leader

But now we will talk to each other,

Merz said, striking a far more conciliatory tone

The people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration,

said Trump, whose surrogates have hounded Scholz's outgoing administration

I am aware of the responsibility,

Merz said Sunday evening