The German Federal Election Commission has released the preliminary results of the voting in the last elections to the Bundestag.

I won the victory

Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), with 25.7% of the vote and 206 parliamentary seats.

The Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU / CSU) bloc came in second with 24.1% (196 seats).

German media say this is the worst federal election result in the history of the conservative bloc.

The deputy chairman of the faction, Gitta Conneman, called this result disastrous and called for personnel changes in the party.

“We are on our way to losing the status of the people's party.

Therefore, one cannot continue further in the same spirit.

Everything has to be rechecked - structures, procedures, member participation.

This also includes staffing implications, ”Conneman told t-online.

Third place was taken by the Green Party - 14.8% of the vote and 118 seats in the Bundestag.

It is followed by the Free Democratic Party with 11.5% (92), and “Alternative for Germany” closes the top five with a result of 10.3% (83).

The left was content with 39 parliamentary seats (4.9%), and another seat was won by a representative of the Union of South Sleswig Voters.

Government and Chancellor

Recall that Germany is a representative democracy, and the chancellor is not elected by the citizens of the country through direct voting, but by the winning party or coalition of factions following the parliamentary elections.

Since none of the parties received a parliamentary majority, the question of forming a government will be decided by a coalition of factions, experts say.

Until a new coalition government is formed, Angela Merkel will remain chancellor.

Earlier, SPD candidate for chancellor, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he intends to create such a coalition by the end of the year.

“We will try to get it as soon as possible so that Mrs. Merkel does not have to make another (New Year's. -

RT

) appeal

again

.

It would be absurd to name the exact date, but we will do everything to complete (the process. - 

RT

) before Christmas, "the TASS politician quotes.

  • Olaf Scholz

  • AP

  • © Michael Sohn

Scholz also outlined the priorities if he is elected Chancellor.

“Everyone can rely on me to form a pragmatic government.

I said a lot during the election campaign, it is obvious to me that we in Germany will continue to develop cooperation with NATO, develop a strong and sovereign European Union, ”he said.

In turn, the candidate for Chancellor from the CDU / CSU Armin Lashet said that he would do everything possible to form a federal government headed by these parties.

He noted that every vote given by the CDU / CSU is "a vote against the left-wing federal government."

“Germany now needs a coalition of the future that will modernize our country,” Deutsche Welle quoted him as saying.

Laschet noted that the coalition is likely to be formed from three partners.

In such an alliance, each of the participants must determine their priorities, the politician added.

Commenting on the results of his party in the elections, Laschet called them unsatisfactory.

  • Armin Laschet

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  • © Sebastian Gollnow

Albrecht Müller, a publicist, member of the SPD party and former deputy of the Bundestag, in a conversation with RT, negatively assessed the election results: “Based on the political needs that exist in the country, the election result is unsatisfactory.

It all comes down to the bourgeois coalition.

Regardless of whether the SPD participates in it, it has become so bourgeois that such important issues as an increase in the surplus tax are not discussed. "

He added that the formation of a coalition government calls into question relations with neighbors in Europe and with Russia.

“I recall the statement of one Social Democratic Chancellor:“ We want to be a nation of good neighbors. ”

If the SPD remembered this, it would have to try to improve relations with Russia.

This requires building trust, and not a constant mistrustful attitude, which manifests itself on the German and European sides, "the interlocutor of RT explained.

Müller also noted that Olaf Scholz, in the election debate, agreed with the assertion that Germany should spend more than 2% of its GDP on collective defense within NATO.

“This is a clear sign that we are on the wrong path and that one cannot seriously expect the new government to tackle the important issue of peace and mutual cooperation,” he lamented.

Continuity of the course

Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev said earlier that Moscow is ready to work with any government that will be formed following the results of the past elections to the Bundestag, regardless of its party configuration.

“We hope that the new leadership of the FRG will take into account the desire of the overwhelming majority of Russians and Germans to live in peace and harmony, will try to preserve the positive potential of bilateral relations and interpersonal contacts accumulated over many years,” the TASS diplomat quoted as saying.

“At the same time, we very clearly make our partners understand that a constructive dialogue implies a rejection of moralizing, ultimatums, threats to impose sanctions, and even more the intentions to talk with us from a position of strength,” Nechaev emphasized.

"Any attempts to pressure and interfere in our internal affairs are futile and counterproductive," the Russian ambassador warned, adding that the current state of Russian-German relations does not correspond to the potential for interaction between the two countries.

  • German parliament

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  • © Markus Schreiber

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov also said that Moscow expects the continuity of Berlin's course in bilateral relations.

“Germany, of course, is our very large trade, economic and investment partner.

We are interested in our relations continuing and developing further, ”said Peskov.

The presidential spokesman added that the two countries have disagreements, but there is also an understanding of the need to resolve them through dialogue. 

“As far as we understand, the process of creating a coalition will be long and complicated, so we will look further,” Peskov emphasized.

In turn, US President Joe Biden reacted quite emotionally to the results of the elections to the Bundestag.

"Damn it.

They are strong, "- this is how the American leader commented on the success of the SPD while talking to the press.   

Coalitional layouts

Leading researcher at the Center for German Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexander Kamkin, commenting on the results of the vote in an interview with RT, noted that the victory of the SPD will not greatly affect Germany's foreign policy, including towards Russia. 

“The same balanced and realistic approach as was under Merkel will continue for the next four years.

However, Scholz still positions himself as a transatlantic politician, so new agreements with Russia and fundamental changes in German policy should not be expected.

In general, there are no big differences between the CDU / CSU and the SPD on the issue of foreign policy vectors, ”the expert explained.

He also expressed the opinion that the runner-up Angela Merkel's party is unlikely to have a decisive say in the new government.

“These elections dealt a big blow to the image of the CDU / CSU bloc, so it may turn out that he will not become a junior partner in the coalition, but will go into opposition.

Moreover, now the CDU / CSU, in order to maintain their positions, it is necessary to take a time-out for political rebranding, as well as for rethinking their political identity, "Kamkin said.

  • Angela Merkel

  • AP

  • © Markus Schreiber

The political scientist believes that the new government can be formed by a coalition of SPD, Greens and Free Democrats.

“With the Greens alone, the SPD does not have enough seats in the Bundestag to make certain decisions.

The most stable coalition will be of three parties.

But, given that their positions on many issues differ, the coalition will be strategically weak, "the source said.

Experts noted that now one of the central questions is how much the Green Party will be represented in the new government.

Representatives of this faction spoke negatively about Russia and repeatedly demanded that the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline be stopped.

The Greens may try to influence Nord Stream 2 after the government is formed.

But this party will not have enough strength to completely close the project, it can only put up for discussion issues on limiting the volume of gas or continue to move its renewable energy, "said Alexander Kamkin.

In turn, the head of the department of social and political research at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Schweitzer, who earlier predicted the victory of the SPD in an interview with RT, noted that the Greens do not have enough mandates to influence relations with Russia without social democrats and free democrats.

“Despite the fact that the Greens have a certain point of view on economic and environmental policy, including regarding Nord Stream 2, without the Free Democratic Party, which occupies fundamentally different positions from the Greens on environmental issues and economy, the creation of a coalition is impossible, ”said the expert.

And the German political scientist Ulrich Brueckner, in a conversation with RT, said that the new political course of Berlin will depend on the composition of the coalition government, while each of the parties will try to put its representatives in key positions.

“At the European level, we have a lot to discuss - for example, the future of the European Fiscal Union and EU reforms.

The same goes for foreign and security policy.

But it is not yet clear who from which party with what political weight will take ministerial posts, ”he said.