In an interview with the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations website, Rahman Ghahramanpour analyzed the victory of the Christian Democratic Party. He said: “First of all, Olaf Schulz’s poor performance allowed the Christian Democratic Party to have a good position in the elections. Schulz’s decline in votes showed that people were dissatisfied with his performance.

Secondly, in the previous elections, Angela Merkel’s party lost more to its own internal mistakes than to the growing power of the Green Party.” In addition, the flood that hit Germany increased the popularity of the Greens. On the other hand, internal disputes within the Christian Democratic Party over the candidate for chancellor weakened the party. But the third reason must be seen in expanding the geographical and political base of the Alternative for Germany, which, after winning two state elections in Germany, managed to win the majority of the votes in East Germany and achieve a good position among young people and women.

He continued: Although Germany was one of the European countries that had resisted the rise of the far right in Europe, it eventually, like France, accepted the far right, and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) became the second party after the Christian Democratic Party in the German parliament.

This international affairs expert said about the effects of this party’s victory on the power and influence of the European Union and interaction with the United States: With Trump’s victory, conditions have become more difficult for Germany and Berline’s relationship with NATO and ensuring European security. For years, Germany has been under pressure to both increase its defense budget and form an independent European defense force with France. Of course, Germany, due to its history in World War II and its focus on economic development, avoided accepting this responsibility and tried to ensure its security by allying with the United States and reducing Russian aggression. However, Russia’s attack on Ukraine has challenged this general approach in Germany. Therefore, it remains to be seen what the Christian Democratic Party will do in the face of the challenge of Trump’s victory and the situation in Ukraine.

Regarding Europe’s confrontation with the Ukraine issue, Ghahramanpour stated: “In a situation where the European Union is facing serious challenges within itself and has disagreements over accepting Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, and the situation in the Balkans, the issue of relations with the United States has become one of the serious challenges for the European Union, especially during the Donald Trump era. Given Germany’s pivotal position in the European Union, this country is expected to play an important role.”

He further clarified: “Germany is somewhere between France’s approach to the US and the European Union’s approach to the United States in its foreign policy. On the one hand, it has close security and military relations with the United States; on the other hand, it is trying to ensure that this close relationship with Washington does not weaken the European Union. Therefore, it has a difficult task ahead.” The international affairs expert said: “Given that Trump has put a lot of pressure on the European Union over the issue of Ukraine, NATO, and the imposition of tariffs, it remains to be seen how Friedrich Mertz will help create a balance between Germany’s relationship with the United States and strengthen integration in the European Union.”