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.

The 69-year-old CDU candidate is set to become chancellor at a time when Germany is going through a deep economic, security and identity crisis.

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated conservative leader Friedrich Merz on his victory in Sunday's parliamentary election. A spokeswoman for Merkel told the Funke media group on Monday that she texted Merz to offer her congratulations and wish him good luck in building a coalition.

Friedrich Merz is set to become Germany’s next chancellor after early results show his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party has won the country’s snap election. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

German voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election , with opposition leader Friedrich Merz claiming victory and Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceding defeat. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

The far-right AfD and the Left jointly secured the one third of seats needed to block constitutional changes. Both oppose military aid to Ukraine.