Friedrich Merz 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 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.

Germany's likely next Chancellor Friedrich Merz questioned on Sunday whether NATO would remain in its "current form" by June in light of comments by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, and said Europe must quickly establish an independent defence capability.