He has vowed to prioritize European unity and the continent’s security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The centre-right CDU has emerged as the biggest party in the German election, making Merz the most likely to lead a government, following coalition negotiations.

Friedrich Merz, who is poised to become Germany’s chancellor in a CDU-led government, has extensive experience as a lawyer and working with major corporations.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz spent the past two months excoriating the country’s Social Democrats — blaming them for a stagnating economy, uncontrolled illegal migration and the rise of the far-right.

Germany's mainstream conservatives have won the country's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the country's second-largest party.