Germany's likely next Chancellor Friedrich Merz questioned on Sunday whether NATO would remain in its "current form" by June in light of comments by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, and said Europe must quickly establish an independent defence capability.

The leader of the conservative Christian Democrats celebrated as exit polls indicated they had won Sunday’s election, which had the highest voter turnout in decades.

Friedrich Merz is on course to become post-World War II Germany’s 10th chancellor, the culmination of a yearslong political career that was once sidelined by his party’s iconic leader.