Europe must seek to “achieve independence” from the United States, Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said after his opposition conservatives won elections on Sunday, in a vote that also saw surging support for the far-right.

Provisional results confirmed that mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won Germany's national election​, while a far-right party surged to become the nation's second-largest.

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Exit polls in Germany's elections predict a win for the conservatives while the far-right Alternative for Germany is set to record big gains.

Provisional results confirm that mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won Germany's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the nation’s second-largest

The Christian Democratic Union has won a plurality in the Bundestag, preliminary exit polls suggested Sunday, while the far-right AfD has come in second.

Germany's conservatives won the national election on Sunday, while the far-right Alternative for Germany came in second, its best ever result.

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