Friedrich Merz and the Union have emerged as the clear winners of Germany's Bundestag election, securing 28.6% of the vote.

However, forming a stable government will be a challenge, as Merz rules out cooperation with the far-right AfD, which gained 20.8%.

A coalition with the SPD, which suffered a historic low of 16.4%, seems likely.

Meanwhile, Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW narrowly missed the 5% threshold, leaving her political future uncertain.

The FDP also failed to re-enter the Bundestag, prompting Christian Lindner to step down from politics.

The Linke celebrated a strong performance, securing 8.8% and winning in Berlin for the first time.

Merz aims to form a government by Easter, navigating a complex political landscape.