Former Mayer Brown counsel and Blackrock advisor Friedrich Merz is Germany’s presumptive new Chancellor after his Christian Democrat party (CDU) gained 28.5% of the vote. Although the CDU had hoped to get 30%, the party was still some way ahead of any other challengers, and Merz has said that he hopes to form a government coalition by Easter.

Four candidates are bidding to be Germany’s next leader in Sunday’s election. The would-be chancellors are the incumbent, the opposition leader, the current vice chancellor and — for the first time — a leader of a far-right party.

The Christian Democrat, who appeared to have a path to a stable governing coalition, hopes to lead Europe’s response to President Trump’s reshuffling of alliances.

Friedrich Merz - leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - is predicted to become Germany's next Chancellor. His party is projected to win around 28% of the vote. The question now is who he might form a coalition with.

Germany’s centre-right leader Friedrich Merz won federal elections on Sunday, clearing his path to become Chancellor at a time of economic and political upheaval for Europe’s biggest democracy. Merz’s CDU/CSU secured around 29 per cent of the vote,

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 Christian Democrats win the country's election. Their leader, expected next Chancellor Friedrich Merz, says the country needs to be "present in Europe again."