The Christian Democrats won with 28.6% of the vote while the far-right Alternative for Germany came second with 20.8%.

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.

A conservative coalition has secured the largest number of seats in Germany's new parliament, while the anti-immigration far-right AfD, backed by Elon Musk, won a historic 20% of the vote.

Elon Musk has continued his public association with Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, sending a congratulatory post on X to the party’s co-chair Alice Weidel following the election results last night in Germany.

Polls are open across Germany as the world’s third largest economy chooses a new leader to guide it through an era of febrile immigration debates and souring relations with Washington.

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

German voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election, with opposition leader Friedrich Merz claiming victory and Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceding defeat. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.