While Germany’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is set to form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the far-right Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) success has left some Irish people living in the country “deeply unsettled”.

The success of the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is a sign of the times. Across Europe, far-right parties once on the fringe have gone mainstream.

The next German government faces calls to loosen borrowing rules, slash energy costs and spur innovation. It won’t be easy.

After Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won a plurality of seats in federal elections Sunday, party leader Friedrich Merz

German conservatives under likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed on Monday to move quickly to try to form a coalition after winning the most votes in a national election that saw far-right and far-left parties gain support from disaffected voters.

Germany's election winner Friedrich Merz wants to form a government quickly in order to revive a moribund economy, hike defence spending and tackle diplomatic challenges ranging from a confrontational Trump administration to ending the Ukraine war.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the centre-Right Christian Democratic Union party (CDU), has emerged as the winner of Germany’s elections.

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.

After an election dominated by immigration and economic issues, Germany’s likely new chancellor is Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative Christian Democrats. His party finished first with just under 29 percent of the vote and will need to form a coalition government.