Germans are going to the polls after an intense election campaign dominated by their country’s faltering economy and a succession of deadly attacks that have made migration and security a focal issue.
Friedrich Merz, the 69-year-old conservative leader, is in pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor, in a vote closely watched in Europe and the US.
He promises to fix most problems in four years – a tall order for Europe’s biggest economy and a creaking infrastructure.
If Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) win, he will need to forge an alliance with at least one other party, most likely Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, whose government collapsed late last year.
On the eve of the vote, Merz was adamant there would be no deal with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is poised to become the second biggest political force, ahead of Scholz’s centre-left party.
Some 59.2 million Germans are eligible to vote, and while millions already have by post, polls indicate as many 20% were undecided ahead of election day.
The polls close at 18:00 (17:00 GMT) with a clear idea of a result likely to emerge during the evening.
Voters are energised by this pivotal election, and campaigning continued right through Saturday evening with a final debate on national TV – the ninth this month.
This is a watershed moment as Germany will have to make big decisions on the world stage as well as at home.
Merz promises strong leadership in Europe, but Berlin is also under pressure to loosen the budget strings for its military.
As Ukraine’s second-biggest provider of military aid, Germany’s next government will face a US president who has condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator and fractured the West’s united front against Russia.
German political leaders have also been shocked by US Vice-President JD Vance, who has met the AfD’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, and called for an end to the long-standing taboo of talking to the far-right.
In Germany, that taboo is known as a firewall or brandmauer.
Merz was accused of breaking it last month when he used their support in parliament. There were protests against the far-right in several German cities on Saturday.
