He’s not the only one. Sunday’s national parliament election — which brought the demise of a green-minded, three-year-old coalition and ushered in a new leader heavily focused on economic growth — has triggered speculation about a climate policy bonfire.

Wall Street struggled for traction on Monday, ending mixed after slumping last week, while German election results buoyed German shares and Europe's single currency as investors waited for midweek results from artificial intelligence chip leader Nvidia.

The next German government faces calls to loosen borrowing rules, slash energy costs and spur innovation. It won’t be easy.

Friedrich Merz is poised to become Germany’s next chancellor, but his victory may not deliver the stability many voters had hoped for. The 2025 election marks a major turning point for Germany, with a sharp rightward shift and the collapse of the center-left.