While the far right made historic gains in Germany’s pivotal federal elections on Sunday, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party ultimately thrived with Friedrich Merz securing nearly 29% of the vote and placing him in the top spot to lead the country.

Friedrich Merz is set to become Germany’s next chancellor after his centre-Right Christian Democratic Union [CDU] party won the election on Sunday night.

Germany's mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won Germany's national election, ensuring that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union's largest country and creating hopes for renewal in an economic powerhouse that has been badly battered in recent years.

Friedrich Merz — the leader of the victorious Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union alliance — is a U.S.-loving former lawyer but he may clash with President Donald Trump, as Merz is a fierce defender of Europe and NATO.

U.S. President Donald Trump hailed Sunday as a "great day for Germany" after an election in which the centre-right opposition won first place followed by the far-right AfD with its strongest result ever.

The votes were still being counted Sunday but the results were clear: Germany’s conservative Friedrich Merz is the new chancellor. And he wants nothing to do with U.S. President Donald Trump. Merz’s CDU/CSU–Christian Democrats,

President Donald Trump celebrated Germany’s election results as polls projected the country’s conservative factions garnered a decisive victory. As national election results came trickling in Sunday afternoon,