How long all of that would take remains to be seen; in the past, it has varied greatly from government to government. In 2017, it took 171 days. Ms. Merkel remained chancellor for 73 days after the 2021 election before being replaced by Mr. Scholz.

Sunday’s election comes as Germany and the rest of Europe grapple with the new Trump administration, the Russia-Ukraine war and security across the continent. Polls across Germany will close at 6 p.m.

February 23, Germany is holding elections for the Bundestag. Voter turnout in the early stages of voting has slightly decreased compared to the previous elections in 2021. However, German politicians,

Germany's election on Sunday delivered a win to the conservative opposition as well as a historic surge in support for the far-right AfD party.

The Sunday vote comes amid an economy in the doldrums, big questions over Europe's security posture, and a surging far-right.

Germany’s European neighbours are still friends and partners, even if political trends in France, Austria and parts of central and eastern Europe give rise to concern in Berlin. But far more worrying is the antagonism of Vladimir Putin’s Russia and,