(ANSA) - BELGRADE, FEB 24 - The CDU-CSU union, led by Friedrich Merz, won the German elections with 28.6% of the vote, according to final data published online by the Bundeswahlleiterin. The far-right AfD is in second place, with 20.8% of the vote, up 10.4% from 2021. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD drops 9.3 points, finishing third at 16.4%. Greens received 11.6%, Linke 8.8%. Out of parliament, Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW falls just short of the 5% threshold, at 4.97%. The FDP's liberals fared similarly, with 4.3%. (ANSA).