Germany’s conservative leader Friedrich Merz emerged as the winner in Sunday’s election, but the results gave his bloc just one clear path to power with intense pressure to move quickly to form a government.

After more than three years with Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Germany’s helm, Sunday’s election cemented the country’s lurch to the right.

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