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Monday, February 23, 2026
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German voters head to polls in federal election amid economic concerns
Voters in Germany went to the polls on Sunday to elect members of the Bundestag, the country’s federal parliament, in an election dominated by economic challenges, energy policy, and immigration debates.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (0700 UTC) and are scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m. Initial projections are expected shortly after voting ends. More than 60 million citizens are eligible to vote in the election, according to federal authorities.
The election follows months of political debate over inflation, industrial output, and Germany’s role within the European Union. The governing coalition has faced criticism from opposition parties over energy prices and economic growth figures released earlier this year.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has campaigned on economic stability and continued support for European cooperation. Meanwhile, opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has focused his campaign on tax reform and stricter immigration policies.
Recent opinion polls published this week suggested a competitive race between major parties, though no single party was projected to win an outright majority. Under Germany’s proportional representation system, coalition negotiations are expected if no party secures more than 50 percent of the seats.
Political analysts told German media that voter turnout will be closely watched as an indicator of public confidence amid economic uncertainty. In the previous federal election in 2021, turnout stood at approximately 76.6 percent.
Security measures were increased at polling locations nationwide, though authorities reported no major incidents as of Sunday afternoon.
Official preliminary results are expected to be announced by federal election officials later Sunday evening, with final certified results to follow in the coming days.
