Germany’s Social Democrats are under pressure to quickly revamp leadership as a role in a new government beckons, even though Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party slumped to its worst election result since World War II.

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz concedes defeat in Germany's national election.

Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc won the national election, with Friedrich Merz likely to become chancellor. The far-right AfD secured its best-ever result. Coalition talks will be complex, delaying key policies amid economic struggles and geopolitical tensions.