Europe must seek to “achieve independence” from the United States, Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said after his opposition conservatives won elections on Sunday, in a vote that also saw surging support for the far-right.

Germany's conservatives won the national election on Sunday, while the far-right Alternative for Germany came in second, its best ever result.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, projections show.