Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader who is in line to be Germany's next Chancellor, has ruled out a deal with the AfD.
Germany's Ruhr area used to be a Social Democrat stronghold, but the populist AfD has risen to popularity amid the region's economic decline. In one city— Gelsenkirchen— individuals are resisting the trend.
A divided Germany has emerged from Sunday’s election. The vote delivered a resounding defeat of the Social Democrats (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and a clear victory for Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic alliance (CDU/CSU) — but not across the board.
As Germany faces economic challenges, debates arise over policy changes to revitalize growth amid high energy costs and unemployment. These issues have fueled the popularity of extremist political parties.
CEO Murray Auchincloss has promised a “fundamental reset” to boost performance after it emerged US hedge fund Elliot had built a near 5 per cent stake in the firm.