German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz and opposition leader Friedrich Merz will appeal to voters up until Sunday’s election.
German politicians sued voters on Saturday on the eve of a key snap election where conservatives are at the forefront and the far right is expected to make a profit.
Election frontrunner Friedrich Merz from the central right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party on Saturday promised to revive Europe’s biggest economy and defend European interests in the face of a conflicting US administration .
“With me, Germany will again make a strong voice in the European Union,” Merz said.
“Europe is a player and don’t ask them to take their seats at the side table,” he told the jubilant crowd in Munich.
“No, we have to sit at the main table, and we must protect our interests towards Russia, China, and, if necessary, the US.”
“Europe is a player and don’t ask them to take their seats at the side table,” he said, adding, “No, they have to sit at the main table.”
However, he said, “Only if we finally overcome the economic weakness of our country it will be once again appreciated in this European Union.” What he added was “overwhelmingly homemade.”
The CDU Party is currently leading the vote, holding 30%.
Sunday’s vote comes at a time of upheaval for both Europe and its biggest economy, especially as US President Donald Trump ended the Western stance on the Ukrainian war by reaching out to Russia.
The threat of Trump’s trade war has hindered more trouble for Germany after the economy has shrunk in the past two years and after facing intense social polarization over the issue of immigration and safety flashpoints .
The vote on Sunday is taking place more than 30 years earlier than planned after the three-way coalition between Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the Pro-Business FDP collapsed in early November.
This vote is set to bring historical results for Germany (AFD) far-right alternatives. This is voted second with around 20%, boosted by the deadly knife attacks and rage over car rampages that have been denounced by immigrants.
The 30-year-old Spanish man was injured in a stabbing incident at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin on Friday. Just 10 days before the election, an Afghanistan was arrested for driving through a rally on the streets of Munich and killing two people.
The AFD has gained strong support from Trump’s inner circle, with high-tech billionaire Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance speaking out in support of the party.
Stopping the rise of the AFD was a “central challenge” of the election, Scholz told members of Potsdam.
“There is growing uncertainty about the future, and the answer to this must be to ensure that our country is still ahead of today’s 10, 20, 30 years.” Scholtz urged at a campaign event.
The incumbent in the prime minister’s office stressed his support for Ukraine and called for more spending to support Germany’s defense.
“We didn’t leave Ukraine alone. That shouldn’t happen in the future,” Skolts said.
“We must ensure that Europe is strong enough in itself to use deterrence to prevent war in Europe.”
Source link