Friedrich Merz is poised to become Germany's next chancellor. There's no new government in Germany quite yet, but after Sunday's election, it's all but certain that Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democratic Union will be the next chancellor.

Germany’s Friedrich Merz takes swipe at Trump and calls for ‘independence from the USA’ - Germany’s likely next chancellor has also questioned whether NATO will continue to exist

Germany's election winner Friedrich Merz warned the United States on Monday against turning its back on allies but also urged Europeans to build up their own defence capabilities, saying it was now "five minutes to midnight for Europe".