Germany's mainstream conservatives won the country's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the nation’s second-largest party, according to provisional results following Sunday’s election.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the country's presumptive next chancellor, has again ruled out cooperating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after Sunday's parliamentary election.

The centre-right CDU has emerged as the biggest party in the German election, making Merz the most likely to lead a government, following coalition negotiations.