Germany faces its second change of leader in less than four years after the head of the center-right opposition won Sunday’s election.

Merz expressed concern over changing relations with Washington under the Trump administration, emphasizing the need for gradual independence from the U.S.

Germany's conservative CDU/CSU bloc won most votes in Sunday's national election and could form a government with the Social Democrats (SPD), allaying market fears that Europe's top economy can only be ruled by another three-way coalition.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz won a lackluster victory, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded his center-left Social Democrat party’s worst postwar defeat.