Germany’s political system is set up to exclude extremists. Yet the country is waking up to a new political reality that has lurched to the right with the once outcast Alternative for Germany (AfD) party now firmly established in German politics.

Germany’s conservative CDU party has won the election, securing Friedrich Merz as the next chancellor. However, right behind them, the far-right AfD has surged to second place, capturing more than 20% of the vote—doubling its support compared to the previous election. Who is Alice Weidel, the leader of AfD? Story by Morgan Ayre.

Weidel said voters had delivered a “clear majority” for a coalition with the AfD, which came second, and the winning Christian Democrats (CDU). But CDU leader Friedrich Merz has ruled out a coalition with the far-right party.