/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/SZZTW67LMRAMPPCKBBQMSUTFRA.JPEG?#)
Germany's likely next leader Merz vows to form government without far right
Friedrich Merz, whose conservative bloc won 28 percent of the vote in German legislative elections, pledged on Monday to form a ruling coalition without the far-right AfD party, which placed second in Sunday's vote. Merz is likely to reach out to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left Social Democrats to help form a government.
Friedrich Merz, whose conservative bloc won 28 percent of the vote in German legislative elections, pledged on Monday to form a ruling coalition without the far-right AfD party, which placed second in Sunday's vote. Merz is likely to reach out to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left Social Democrats to help form a government.
![Skeem Saam: Wednesday’s episode, 11 December 2024 [video]](http://www.thesouthafrican.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Melita.jpg.optimal.jpg?#)
