The Christian Democratic Union’s victory comes despite a strong showing by the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD.

The centre-right CDU has emerged as the biggest party in the German election, making Merz the most likely to lead a government, following coalition negotiations.

The Christian Democrat, who appeared to have a path to a stable governing coalition, hopes to lead Europe’s response to President Trump’s reshuffling of alliances.

Conservative leader sharply criticizes Trump administration for its attempts to interfere in German elections and also raises the possibility of ‘independent European defense capabilities'

Germany's mainstream conservatives have won the country's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the country's second-largest party.

Exit polls suggest that Friedrich Merz, the candidate for the conservative Christian Democrats who has vowed to bring stronger leadership in Europe, will be Germany’s next leader. The hard-right AfD party was in second place.

Former banker almost certain to be Germany’s next chancellor faces testing domestic political and economic landscape – and then there’s Donald Trump

World War II Germany's 10th chancellor, the culmination of a yearslong political career that was once sidelined by his party’s iconic leader. The 69-year-old head of the center-right Union bloc, which won the country's national election with 28.

Friedrich Merz is poised to become Germanys next chancellor after his conservative CDU/CSU bloc secured victory in the national election, defeating Chancellor Olaf Scholzs struggling coalition. However,