Netanyahu speaks to conservative leader Merz, congratulates him on victory in German polls

Tel Aviv [Israel], February 24 (ANI): Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephonic conversation with Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz and congratulated him on his party's victory in the German elections.
Friedrich Merz thanked Netanyahu for his wishes and said that he would invite him to make an official visit to Germany.
In a post on X, the Israel Prime Minister's Office stated, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a warm conversation last night with Friedrich Merz, who following his victory in the German elections, has become Chancellor-designate, and congratulated him on his victory."
"Chancellor-designate Merz thanked the Prime Minister for the conversation and said that he would invite him to make an official visit to Germany, in overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal," it added.
Elections were held in Germany on Sunday. Merz declared victory in the elections at the event in central Berlin, as he told supporters "Let's get the party started," an apparent nod to wanting to get coalition negotiations underway quickly, as per CNN report.
The CDU's party headquarters were filled with cheers and applause on Sunday evening as the exit polls were revealed and it became clear that the opposition party was set to become the largest group after Sunday's election.
Outside the building, a small group of protesters had gathered to demonstrate against what they perceive as party leader Friedrich Merz's hard line on immigration, CNN reported.
He thanked people of Germany for trusting him and his party. In a post on X, Merz stated, "We - the @CDU and the @CSU - have won this federal election. Thank you for the trust you have placed in us and in me. And in this context I would like to say a word of respect for our political competitors. We will now quickly fulfill our government mandate, because the world out there is not waiting for us. Nor is it waiting for long coalition talks and negotiations. We must now quickly become capable of action again." (ANI)