After the Snap: Germany’s New Political Reality

In his address to the IIEA, Derek Scally reflects on the German federal election of February 2025 and what it reveals about the shifting political landscape in Germany. Following the collapse of the Scholz government, the election delivered major gains for both the CDU/CSU and the far-right AfD, alongside historic losses for the former governing parties. With Friedrich Merz now installed as chancellor at the head of a new CDU/CSU–SPD coalition, Mr Scally assesses the implications for domestic governance, Germany’s role in Europe, and what political challenges may lie ahead in 2026. About the Speaker: Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and the Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been Irish Times correspondent since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern Europe and is also author of ‘The Best Catholics in the World’, published in 2021 by Penguin.