Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated conservative leader Friedrich Merz on his victory in Sunday's parliamentary election. A spokeswoman for Merkel told the Funke media group on Monday that she texted Merz to offer her congratulations and wish him good luck in building a coalition.

Across Europe the old order is collapsing while the nationalist right makes sweeping gains. Giorgia Meloni – once branded “Far Right” by most of Europe’s media - is in power in Italy. In the Netherlands anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders heads the electorate’s favourite party.

The centre-right CDU has emerged as the biggest party in the German election, making Merz the most likely to lead a government, following coalition negotiations.