Reactions: Trump celebrates "big day for Germany" in the federal election

Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger Reactions: Trump celebrates "big day for Germany" in the federal election 5 hours • 3 minutes reading time US President Donald Trump has commented on the election result in Germany. Since the projections have been running, politicians have been commenting on the results of the federal election. The reactions are, as expected, varied. Election winner Friedrich Merz was celebrated by party members in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus. He thanked them for their support and said: "I know the responsibility. The world out there is not waiting for us. We must quickly become capable of action again. That is what the Union stands for, and that is what I personally stand for." Scholz admits election defeat Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke in the Willy-Brandt-Haus. He received polite applause from SPD members. "This is a bitter election result, it is also an election defeat," said Scholz. He thanked all supporters and campaign workers who had worked tirelessly despite the poor polls. "I am responsible for this election result," said Scholz, who then congratulated Merz. Green Party candidate for chancellor Robert Habeck spoke of a "respectable result." The other traffic light parties had completely collapsed. However, he admitted that the result of the federal election was likely to fall short of expectations and also saw the reason for this in Friedrich Merz. Until the middle of last month, the Greens were on the right track in the polls. But then the Union voted with the AfD in the Bundestag. "And after that, a lot of people said: 'Not like that, not Friedrich Merz and not governing with the Union.'" The Greens had not ruled out a coalition with the Union. AfD wants to make a pact with Merz AfD federal spokesman Tino Chrupalla described the election result on ARD as a "clear vote against the firewall erected by Friedrich Merz." Merz must explain how he intends to implement his election promises on migration and economic policy without the AfD participating in the government. CSU leader Markus Söder was pleased about a "clear mandate to govern" and was already speculating about possible coalitions. If the FDP were to enter the Bundestag, he spoke out in favor of a three-way alliance with the Liberals: "If you tell the Germans: 'You have the choice between a Kenya coalition and a Germany coalition,' then a Germany coalition is clearly the better way, even in terms of the name." Parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr once again justified the recent government breakdown in an ARD interview: "Sometimes it is part of political life that you don't put your own party above everything else, but ask yourself: 'What is the right thing for the country now?' That was an early federal election." The Left wants to create change from the opposition The BSW will not be entering parliament either. Party leader Sahra Wagenknecht told party members: "Even if it is not enough, then it is a defeat, but it is not the end of the BSW. We cannot do them that favor." Meanwhile, the Left can feel like the winner of the election. Lead candidate Jan van Aken also saw it that way. He reinforced his party's position that it has no right to participate in government: "We can also change things from the opposition." For example, Friedrich Merz will be observed on issues of the welfare state. Congratulations are also coming in from abroad; Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has already congratulated Friedrich Merz on his election victory. Trump and Kickl are happy about the election result US President Donald Trump described the outcome of the federal election as a "great day for Germany and the United States". Much like in the USA, people in Germany have "grown tired of the agenda that defies common sense, particularly on energy and immigration, that has prevailed for so long," Trump wrote on Sunday in his online network Truth Social. The head of the right-wing populist FPÖ in Austria, Herbert Kickl, congratulated the AfD on its election result. People "no longer want to endure paternalism, illegal mass immigration, the resulting Islamist terror and security chaos, climate communism and the destruction of prosperity," he continued.