German voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election, with opposition leader Friedrich Merz claiming victory. Exit polls also indicate that Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

Exit polls show the center-right Christian Democratic Union party leading, with the AfD party heading towards the strongest showing of the far-right since World War II.

Alternative for Germany, a far-right political party under surveillance by intelligence services for suspected extremism, made huge gains in the German general election Sunday, with the center-right Christian Democratic Union likely to lead coalition talks to form the next government.