German election LIVE: Voting underway across country as voters make feelings clear over economy and migration
WATCH NOW: Quentin Letts says the EU will not exist in 20 years and will be the next to leave the EU
GB News
Voting is now underway across Germany as people cast their vote bringing and end to the election campaign driven by the nation's stumbling economy and persistent deliberation on migration.
Polls expect conservative leader Friedrich Merz to become their next Chancellor as Europe and America closely monitor the vote.
He has insisted that he would make no deal with the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) - a party which has been bolstered by the likes of Elon Musk and US Vice President JD Vance.
Consequently, Merz's Christian Democrats will be forced to build an alliance with another party, which is expected to be Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats.
The AfD is believed to become the second largest political party - and is even expected to overtake Scholz's left party - in what is expected to be its most successful election result to date.
A fifth (20 per cent) of the German electorate remains undecided ahead of the election, according to national polls, while around 60 million Germans are eligible to vote.
"I'm completely disappointed in politics, so maybe an alternative would be better," retired Berlin bookkeeper Ludmila Ballhorn told Reuters, citing the soaring cost-of-living crisis.
The polls will close at 6pm (5pm UK time) as an early indication of the outcome likely to be clear throughout the evening.
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
Final polls before Germans head to the polls points to AfD taking fifth of votes - just second to the mainstream CDU
The final polls leading up to today's snap election signals that the AfD will receive an unprecedented amount of support.
It is expected that the CDC/CSU will receive the most points, leading over the populist party by nine points.
Meanwhile, governing party SPD have dropped over 12 points since the last election and are trailing behind the far right in third place.
German politicians' strategy to exclude AfD from future coalitions fails to reflect voters' desire for 'tougher stance of migration', journalist suggests
A coalition between the German parties would fail to reflect a "tougher stance on migration" if politicians succeed in blocking the AfD from governance.
Germany’s other parties will likely block the populist group from entering into a formal coalition, with a Brandmauer strategy, known as a firewall in English, to keep the AfD at bay.
Speaking on GB News, Hyde said that any such agreement between the other parties will ultimately fail to create a coalition "that reflects this demand on a tougher stance on migration".
The AfD is projected to win a fifth of the national vote as the election campaign was characterised by debates on the economy and the growing issue of migration.
PICTURED: Top party leaders head to the polls
Merz and Scholz both cast their ballots this morning
REUTERS
The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cast his ballot in Potsdam with his wife Britta Ernst.
Meanwhile, conservative leader - and election frontrunner - Friedrich Merz cast his vote at a local station in Arnsberg this morning.
'We got our own problems!' Donald Trump wishes Germany 'luck' ahead election day
Donald Trump said that he "wishes [Germany] luck" ahead of the polls opening this morning as he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office.
When asked on his thoughts on the European national election, he offered his well wishes and then laughed off the question, saying: "We got our own problems!"
As the President threatens European countries with tariffs and excludes them over peace negotiations with Moscow over the war in Ukraine, the winner of Germany's election will become a key player on the world stage.
AfD handed major poll boost after DOUBLING support but faces 'firewall' as ALL other parties unite to block path to power
AfD co-leader Alice WeidelREUTERSAlternative for Germany (AfD) has been handed a major poll boost in YouGov’s last mega-survey ahead of Sunday’s Bundestag election.
The populist party cemented its expected second-place finish, with 20 per cent of the vote and 145 seats.
AfD support has doubled since the last federal poll in 2021 when the populist party returned 83 MPs with 10.4 per cent of the vote.
It is also substantially up compared to Alice Weidel’s third-place showing, which saw 94 AfD MPs enter the Bundestag in 2017.
Polls open as Germans cast their vote in much-anticipated national election
Polls will close at 6pm UK time
REUTERS
The polls have opened in Germany for almost 60 million people to cast their vote following an intense election campaign across Merz's Christian Democrats, Scholz's Social Democrats and the AfD.
Polls will close at 6pm UK time.
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