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 far-right Alternative for Germany vaulted into second place on Sunday after about a fifth of voters cast their ballot for a party that’s called for a halt to migration and assailed the country’s political establishment.

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.

Friedrich Merz's conservative party is the winner of the German general election, while current Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party experienced its worst result since the late 19th century.