BERLIN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Germany's conservative bloc, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), has taken the lead in the country's 2025 federal election, according to preliminary results released by German public broadcaster ARD on Sunday evening.
According to ARD's initial count till press time, CDU/CSU secured 28.4 percent of the vote, followed by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) with 20.4 percent and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) with 16.4 percent.
The Greens came in fourth with 12.2 percent, ahead of Die Linke with 8.9 percent. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) are projected to receive 4.8 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively.
The election will determine the composition of the next Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.
The newly elected parliament will select Germany's next chancellor following coalition negotiations among parties.
Friedrich Merz, chancellor candidate of the CDU/CSU, vowed to move swiftly to form a new government. "Tonight we will celebrate and from tomorrow we start working," Merz said after the vote. "The world out there is not waiting for us."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged the SPD's historic defeat and stated that he would remain in office until a new coalition government is formed.
"This is a bitter election result for the Social Democratic Party, it is also an electoral defeat," Scholz said. "I have the responsibility for the election result." ■
