Negotiators from German election winner Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats have started exploratory talks on a possible coalition government.

Germany’s conservatives won the national election on Sunday, while the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party nearly doubled its share of the vote from the last election to secure a strong second-place finish. Nuclear energy may be the big winner.

Negotiators from German election winner Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats started exploratory talks Friday on a possible coalition government, but were tightlipped on the details as they launched what could be a complicated process.

German voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election, with opposition leader Friedrich Merz claiming victory and Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceding defeat. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

But critics say Merz's style seems imperious and inspired by the disruptive spirit reigning in the United States - and won't go down well in a country where the executive's power

Germany's conservatives led by election winner Friedrich Merz held first talks Friday with the Social Democrats on forming a coalition government as the country faces multiple challenges at home and abroad.

Friedrich Merz has vowed to prioritize European unity and the continent's security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia's war on Ukraine​.