Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) said on Wednesday they had agreed to start talks on a possible coalition with Friedrich Merz's conservatives but stressed their support was not automatic and hit out at his negotiating style.

Germany's Social Democratic Party faces a lack of leadership following its defeat on February 23, having garnered only 16.5% of the vote, its worst score since 1945.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Wednesday elected Lars Klingbeil as leader of its parliamentary group, cementing his position as the party seeks to recover from a historic election defeat to join Friedrich Merz's conservatives in government.

Germany’s Social Democrats are taking steps to revamp their leadership as a role in a new government beckons, even though Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party slumped to its worst election result since World War II.

With 16.4% of the vote, down nine points from 2021, the SPD recorded its worst score since the post-war period. It is likely to join a coalition in the next government, led by the Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz.

Germany's mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won the country's national election, ensuring that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union's largest country and creating hopes for renewal in an economic powerhouse that has been badly battered in recent years.

German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz appears poised to win the country’s election Sunday, while the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party places second despite making

The conservative CDU/CSU party has won the parliamentary elections in Germany. The leader of the formation, Friedrich Merz, is the main candidate for chancellor. During the campaign, the future head of the German government expressed support for closing the borders.