Friedrich Merz leads CDU/CSU coalition to victory in German federal election

Friedrich Merz, a former banker, is poised to become Germany's next chancellor after his CDU/CSU coalition received 28.5% of the vote in a recent federal election. This marks a significant shift in German politics. The exit polls indicate that Merz's coalition outperformed the AFD, which received 20%, and the SPD, led by Olaf Scholz, which garnered only around 16%. Merz, 69, has a background in law and politics, having previously served in the European Parliament and the German parliament. He has never held an office before this election.