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

German conservatives under likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed on Monday to move quickly to try to form a coalition after winning the most votes in a national election that saw far-right and far-left parties gain support from disaffected voters.

The leader of the conservative Christian Democrats celebrated as exit polls indicated they had won Sunday’s election, which had the highest voter turnout in decades.

Trump's statements on Ukraine last week make it "clear" Americans are "largely indifferent to the fate of Europe," Merz said.

Germany is set for a shift to the right after the conservative CDU/CSU bloc secured a clear victory in Sunday's elections, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded its best-ever performance.

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.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats after what he called 'a bitter election result.'