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 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.

The conservative CDU/CSU bloc emerged as the winner of Sunday's parliamentary elections in Germany, securing 28.6% of the vote, the dpa agency reported, citing preliminary official data released overnight from Sunday to Monday by the Federal Election Commission.

Germany's conservatives won the country's snap elections, but many in the party are disappointed at its overall showing. The SPD fared even worse, plummeting to the worst result in its modern history.

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.