PHOTO COLLECTION: Germany Election Day

Friedrich Merz, the candidate of the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union party, smiles while addressing supporters at the party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election.(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz, with the microphone, the candidate of the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union party, shakes hands with Markus Soeder, leader of CSU and Minister-President of Bavaria, at the party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz waves after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the party’s headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool)

Leader of far right AfD Alice Weidel waves a German flag at the AfD party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the party’s election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP)

People react after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

People react after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the party’s election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: ‘Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman’ (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), delivers a speech after first projections are announced after the national election in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Fe. 23, 2025. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

The Willy Brandt sculpture can be seen next to a screen with the election forecasts at the headquarters of the German Social Democratic party (SPD) in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Hannes P Albert/dpa via AP)

Supporters of Friedrich Merz, the candidate of the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union party, react to the first projections at the party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Gesa Schoenwolff, right, casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne)

Gesa Schoenwolff casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne)

Gesa Schoenwolff, right, casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne)

A young woman in traditional Black Forest costume with a Bollenhut (Bollenhat) stands in the voting booth at a polling station in Gutach, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa via AP)

Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), casts his vote at a polling station Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)

Friedrich Merz, center, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and and his wife Charlotte Merz, right, cast their vote at a polling station in Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz casts his vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives with his wife Britta Ernst to cast their vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Residents arrive to cast a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier casts his vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Resident prepares to cast a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A man casts his vote at a polling station in Duisburg, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)

Ressdents follow a sign to a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A ballot box is sealed with the electoral seal of the German State of Bavaria in Memmelsdorf, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Pia Bayer/dpa via AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, jogs in the early morning accompanied by a bodyguard in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

A German national flag waves on top of the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)