German opposition leader Friedrich Merz has declared victory after his Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) won nearly 29% of the vote in the country's federal election. However, the CDU/CSU alliance of conservatives fell short of the absolute majority required to govern alone. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was set to score its best-ever result in a federal election, polling at more than 20%. Having almost doubled its vote share compared to the previous election, it has become the second-most powerful political force in the country.
Conservatives win German election but far-right AfD doubles support
‘Now is the time of monsters’: young Berliners despair at far-right surge
