German elections 2021
Our coverage of the race to replace Angela Merkel
Germany’s federal election on September 26th yielded a close finish. The centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) took the largest share of the vote and is the largest party in the new Bundestag. It beat its senior partner in the governing coalition, the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), into second place.
Both Olaf Scholz, the SPD’s chancellor-candidate, and Armin Laschet of the CDU/CSU claimed a mandate to try to form a government. But the SPD had the edge in seats and votes. On October 27th it began coalition negotiations with the Greens, who finished third (their best-ever showing) and the liberal Free Democrats on forming a “traffic-light” coalition. Negotiations are due to last around six weeks. Once a new government is formed, the CDU’s Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor for 16 years, will step down.
On this page you can find our latest reporting, including an explanation of the coalition negotiations. You will also find a graphical analysis of the results and our reporting on the election. In recent weeks we have also been looking ahead to Germany—and the world—after the Merkel years: you can also read our eight-section special report on that topic, as well as listening to a recent podcast.
Reporting and analysis
Green-lit
Olaf Scholz’s “traffic-light” coalition is taking shape
The broad outline has been agreed; details still to come
The Economist explains
How will Germany’s coalition negotiations work?
The three parties have around six weeks to agree on and ratify their plan for government
Germany’s future
The challenges facing Germany’s new leader
What the results mean for its relationship with Russia, China and the rest of the world
Advantage Scholz
The Social Democrats are likely to take charge in Germany
But forging a coalition will be slow and difficult after a tight election
Charlemagne
Charlemagne: Germany’s election is revealingly European
A fractured vote, a big age divide and long coalition talks ahead
The Economist explains
Who is Olaf Scholz, and what kind of Germany would he lead?
The plain-spoken finance minister from Hamburg is the leading contender to replace Angela Merkel
The race for the Bundestag
Our graphical analysis of the election result
Who won and who lost at the polls
A giant departs
The mess Merkel leaves behind
The successor to Germany’s much-admired chancellor will face big unresolved problems
The Economist Asks: Wolfgang Nowak and Claudia Major
What’s next for Germany after Angela Merkel?
We review the chancellor’s leadership with Wolfgang Nowak, a political veteran, and security expert Claudia Major
The Economist Explains
How do Germany’s elections work?
Voters directly determine the size of the parliament and indirectly choose their chancellor
Special report
Germany
After Merkel
Angela Merkel’s departure will leave a big hole in Germany—and much for her successor to do, says Tom Nuttall
The public sector
Germany’s urgent need for greater public investment
Necessary new infrastructure is not being built
The car industry
A troubled road lies ahead for German carmakers
The all-powerful automotive sector faces a challenging future
The demographic challenge
Parts of Germany are desperate for more people
Coping with ageing and shrinking populations is hardest in the east
The European dilemma
The European Union will badly miss Angela Merkel
There is no obvious replacement for the chancellor
Merkelkinder
The attitudes of Germany’s young
New German voters have no memory of life before Mrs Merkel
Foreign and security policy
The world needs a more active Germany
A passive (and pacifist) country considers a more active role
The future
Germany needs a reforming government
Unfortunately, it may not get one
More on the main candidates
The Economist explains
Why the CDU/CSU’s Armin Laschet is floundering in Germany’s election
His lacklustre showing could mean that Angela Merkel’s party loses office
The Economist explains
Why the Greens' Annalena Baerbock has disappointed many
They had hoped she might become the party’s first chancellor
The Economist explains
Christian Lindner’s FDP may soon return to government
And the Free Democrats’ leader has his eye on the finance ministry
What a time to be Olaf
The Social Democrats’ surge upends Germany’s election campaign
It might even see the Christian Democrats leave power
Angela Merkel
German election 2021
Hard acts to follow, from Angela Merkel to the Queen
Being the next German chancellor is like playing James Bond after Sean Connery
Tough act to follow
As Angela Merkel steps down, German politics wobbles (Jan 2021)
A messy race to succeed the chancellor after the upcoming election this September
The Economist Asks
What next for Germany after Angela Merkel? (Dec 2020)
We ask Wolfgang Ischinger, the former German ambassador to the US, and Jens Spahn, a German cabinet minister
Germany and Europe
The indispensable European (Nov 2015)
Angela Merkel faces her most serious political challenge yet. But Europe needs her more than ever
Domestic issues
Saxon Switzerland
A visit to a stronghold of the AfD, Germany’s far-right party
Its candidate is a cop suspended for protesting against covid lockdowns
After the floods
Germany grapples with the human and political fallout of the devastating floods
It should help the Greens, but may not
Under water
Devastating floods in Germany warn Europe of the dangers of warming
Whether or not climate change caused these floods, it made them more likely
Foreign policy
Still searching
After Afghanistan Germans rethink their country’s foreign policy
But this month’s election is unlikely to change it much
Auf Wiedersehen
Germany’s export-driven foreign policy is being challenged
But that does not mean it will change much
The reluctant hegemon
Germany is being forced to take a leadership role it never wanted (Oct 2020)
But thirty years after reunification, it is finding its stride
Economics
Spinning the wheels
The warring parties’ plans for Germany’s economy are full of holes
The post-election coalition talks are likely to be extremely arduous
The Economist explains
Why German politicians are fighting over the debt brake
The rule to limit government borrowing may have created more problems than it solved
Hey, big spenders
Germany opens the money tap
The pandemic has converted it to the joys of deficit spending. This may not last
Take one for the team
Germany must learn to live with a little inflation
The alternative is a two-speed Europe
Clouds ahead
Germany’s economic prospects for this year have darkened (Jan 2021)
Numbers are being revised downwards