Germany elections: Church leaders call for constructive, fair solutions

By Vatican News

Following Sunday’s federal elections, Bishop Georg Bätzing, chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, offered his initial reactions to the results in an interview with Vatican News.

"The significant increase in voter turnout is a good sign for our country, showing that democracy is being taken seriously," said Bishop Bätzing. “The majority of voters want a strengthening of the democratic center, as reflected in the election results. I hope that we will now quickly have a stable government that addresses the pressing issues.”

The election campaign is over, "now action must be taken," the Bishop emphasized, expressing hope for constructive cooperation among democratic forces in Germany.

"The democratic forces must work together for the benefit of citizens,” he said. “This means listening, understanding each other, constructively striving for fair solutions, and being willing to compromise."

Regarding foreign policy, Bishop Bätzing said "Germany must be integrated into a democratic Europe—as a constitutional, free, open, and solidary country. Extremist forces and those who, despite Russia’s unlawful attack on Ukraine, sympathize with Putin’s Russia must not set the tone. Especially in light of the international situation, I sincerely hope that Europe will be strengthened by this election and the new government."

Preliminary election results

According to the preliminary results published by the Federal Returning Officer on Monday morning, the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CDU/CSU) secured 28.6% of the vote, followed by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) with 20.8%. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) came in third with 16.4%, followed by the Greens (11.6%) and the Left Party (8.8%). The Free Democratic Party (FDP) failed to enter parliament with 4.33%, and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) also narrowly missed the threshold with 4.97%.

The Chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, commented: "Now, after the election, the parties of the democratic center face the demanding task of dealing with this result in a constructive and responsible manner."

She expressed hope that a new government would strengthen the political framework for social cohesion and an open-minded Germany, calling for “a Germany where human dignity and mutual respect matter.”

AfD gains are ‘a warning sign for democracy’

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Archbishop of Cologne, told the platform domradio.de: "Given the challenges facing our country, Europe, and ultimately the entire world, I hope that a new federal government will be formed swiftly—one that approaches the political problems of our time with prudence and wisdom, promotes social cohesion, and effectively counters all tendencies toward division and polarization."

The Archbishop of Paderborn, Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz, described the increase in votes for the AfD as a serious warning sign for Germany’s democracy.

He emphasized that the result should not be dismissed as merely a statistical trend. "Rather, it requires decisive action from politics, civil society, and every individual to effectively curb the creeping influence of extremist positions and to defend democratic values."

Archbishop Stefan Hesse, Archbishop of Hamburg, expressed concern over societal divisions.

"Hopefully, we will remain united as a society and overcome the divisions that have become apparent in recent weeks," he said, expressing hopes for a government that boldly addresses the country’s key future issues, such as the economy, the environment, and human dignity.

"From my Christian perspective, social justice and the integration of those who come to us must have a firm place on the political agenda," said Bishop Hess, who also serves as the Bishops' Conference’s Commissioner for Refugees.

Hope for a ‘chancellor who unites’

The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) congratulated CDU leader Friedrich Merz on his election victory.

"In times of alarming societal fragmentation, Germany now needs a chancellor who unites, who thinks in European terms, and who gives hope to a diverse country facing major challenges," said Irme Stetter-Karp, president of the lay organization.

At the same time, she emphasized: "Anyone who wants a future must not retreat into the past in this situation—not in climate policy, not in economic policy, and not in social policy either."

Church representatives also praised the significant increase in voter turnout, which, according to initial figures, exceeded 80%. Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt, regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany, described it as "an encouraging sign of a vibrant democracy."