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.

Hailing from Sauerland, a traditionally Catholic and socially conservative region in western Germany, Friedrich Merz has long embodied the values of pre-reunification West Germany—strong transatlantic ties,

Germany’s conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz won the national election on Sunday, while far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) followed in second place, rougly doubling its support in the strongest projections since World War II.