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.

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.

Friedrich Merz, likely Germany's next chancellor, said he was under "no illusions" about the White House's impact on campaigning as the far-right AfD surged to a historic high.

Provisional results confirm that mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won Germany's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the nation’s second-largest.

Alternative for Germany surged to the best showing by a far-right party since World War II in Sunday's national election and became the strongest political force in