“That feeds into this whole far-right populist narrative that the mainstream parties are abandoning those areas,” Lueders said. Far-right parties, which tend to position themselves as populists standing up for ordinary people against a corrupt or co-opted elite, are well placed to appeal to people who have lost faith in the status quo.

Germany’s political system is set up to exclude extremists. Yet the country is waking up to a new political reality that has lurched to the right with the once outcast Alternative for Germany (AfD) party now firmly established in German politics.

Friedrich Merz's CDU party emerged as the largest party in Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, earning 28.6% of the vote.

Germany faces its second change of leader in less than four years after the head of the center-right opposition won Sunday’s election.

Die Welt political correspondent Jorg Wimalasena takes a closer look into anti-free speech laws in Germany on 'The Will Cain Show.'

Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy and chief economist at AMP notes a shift rightward during the German elections, forecasting a boost in defense spending and economic growth. He cautions that Germany faces an uncertain future amid weak valuations,

Friedrich Merz is set to become the next Chancellor at a time of great tumult at home and abroad, writes John Kampfner.