Germany’s political system is set up to exclude extremists. Yet the country is waking up to a new political reality that has lurched to the right with the once outcast Alternative for Germany (AfD) party now firmly established in German politics.

The success of the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is a sign of the times. Across Europe, far-right parties once on the fringe have gone mainstream.

Merz calls for European solidarity, warns against 'America first' Germany's probable next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, whose conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) emerged from Sunday's election as the largest party,

He has vowed to prioritize European unity and the continent’s security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Germany's centre-right CDU/CSU bloc has won national elections by a large margin, with all constituencies counted, paving the way for leader Friedrich Merz to be the next chancellor, as could be seen on the website of the federal returning officer.

While the far right made historic gains in Germany's elections on Sunday, Conservative politician Friedrich Merz won with nearly 29% of the vote.