Germany's mainstream conservatives won the country's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the nation’s second-largest party, according to provisional results following Sunday’s election.

The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the second largest party in parliament after Sunday's election, said Germany's likely next chancellor would be held hostage by left-wing parties that would seek to loosen tough fiscal rules.

Weidel said voters had delivered a “clear majority” for a coalition with the AfD, which came second, and the winning Christian Democrats (CDU). But CDU leader Friedrich Merz has ruled out a coalition with the far-right party.