On the 80th anniversary of World War II, Germany is poised to elect a new Chancellor following the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s government last year. All eyes are on Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who is seen as the frontrunner to become the country’s 10th Chancellor.

Merz leads the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party that has drawn significant controversy both domestically and internationally. As Germany remains one of the largest economies and most influential diplomatic powers in Europe, this election is being closely watched.