Germany's Big Vote: What's the Deal?

Germany is gearing up for a big day on Sunday. Voters will head to the polls to choose a new government. This isn't just any election. It's a big deal for Europe. Germany is the biggest economy in the European Union and a key player in NATO. Plus, it's the second-largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine. The new government will have a big say in how Europe handles a more assertive U. S. administration. The election is happening sooner than expected. The previous government had to step down early because they couldn't agree on how to fix the economy. The economy has been struggling for the past two years. The new government will have to tackle this issue right away. Another big challenge will be dealing with irregular migration, which has been a hot topic during the campaign. Four candidates are in the running to be Germany's next leader. These are Olaf Scholz, Friedrich Merz, Robert Habeck, and Alice Weidel. Scholz is the current chancellor. Merz is from the conservative Christian Democratic Union party. Habeck is from the environmentalist Greens. Weidel is from the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD. Polls show Merz's Union bloc in the lead with about 30% support. AfD is close behind with around 20%. Scholz's Social Democrats and Habeck's Greens are trailing. Merz is the favorite to replace Scholz, but forming a government might be tricky. It depends on how many parties make it into the new parliament. Opinion polls show three parties are close to the 5% threshold needed to win seats. All mainstream parties have said they won't work with AfD. On election day, polls open at 8 a. m. and close at 6 p. m. Germans can also vote by mail, but their ballot must arrive by 6 p. m. to count. Exit polls and vote-counting start as soon as voting ends. The final official result is expected early on Monday. Germany's electoral system usually doesn't give any party an absolute majority. This means two or more parties will likely form a coalition. There's no set time limit for this process. Parties will have exploratory talks to find common ground. Then, one combination of parties will move on to formal coalition talks. These talks typically produce a detailed coalition agreement. This agreement needs approval from the parties involved. Some parties might even put it to a vote of their entire membership. Once that's done, the Bundestag can elect the new chancellor. Germany and France have traditionally been the driving forces behind the EU. But both countries have been dealing with political instability recently. This election is happening seven months earlier than planned. The previous government collapsed in November. One of the new government's most urgent tasks will be finding a way to boost the economy. Another challenge will be addressing irregular migration. Merz has said he hopes to form a new government by mid-April if he wins. Scholz's outgoing government will stay on in a caretaker role until the new chancellor is elected.