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.

Germany's opposition conservatives won the national election on Sunday, putting leader Friedrich Merz on track to be the next chancellor while the far-right Alternative for Germany came in second on its best ever result,

German voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election, and early exit poll data shows opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives in the lead. It also indicates that Alternative for Germany is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

Germany's conservatives won the national election on Sunday, while the far-right Alternative for Germany came in second, its best ever result.