Preliminary results of the election in Germany, based on one of the better pollsters:
CDU - 29%
AfD - 19.5%
SPD - 16%
Greens - 13.5%
The Left - 8.5%
FDP and BSW are at 4.9% and 4.7%, respectively. Currently they would fail to clear the necessary 5.0% hurdle, but votes are still being counted, so the final result may differ.
In the big picture these are bad results. Assuming FDP and BSW stay out, the only possible two-party coalition is CDU+SPD, providing little to no leverage for the CDU which would very likely make it take longer until Germany has a new government. Assuming FDP and/or BSW make it, it's even worse, because then all two-party coalitions are off the table and any three-party coalition is much harder to realize by default.
Foreign policy, especially regarding Ukraine, could be a major obstacle regarding coalition talks. We can only hope that Scholz steps down entirely and the new SPD leadership takes a different and more firm stance on Russia.
Legend11 correctly predicted that GTA IV will outsell Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I was wrong.
