Friedrich Merz wins German election and plans to shift focus from US to Europe

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union, is set to become chancellor after winning the national election. He aims to reduce dependence on the US and strengthen European unity amid a fractured political landscape. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) gained significant support, finishing second in the election. Mainstream parties, however, have ruled out forming a coalition with the AfD, complicating Merz's efforts to establish a stable government. Merz's CDU/CSU bloc received 28.5% of the vote, its second worst result post-war. Coalition negotiations will be challenging, as the previous government collapsed, leaving Germany's leadership uncertain during a critical economic period.