That paves the way for their candidate, Friedrich Merz (pictured), to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor after coalition talks. The second was that the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) had surged to its best-ever score,

Germany’s centre-right leader Friedrich Merz won federal elections on Sunday, clearing his path to become Chancellor at a time of economic and political upheaval for Europe’s biggest democracy. Merz’s CDU/CSU secured around 29 per cent of the vote,

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the favourite to become the country's next chancellor after initial results showed his CDU/CSU bloc leading in Sunday's election, wants to form an effective government as quickly as possible.

Germany's opposition conservatives triumph in the national election, setting Friedrich Merz on course to be the next chancellor. The far-right Alternative for Germany achieved its best result to date.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, has vowed to bring stronger leadership in Europe at a time when the new Trump administration has sowed anxiety on the continent.