Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) addressed supporters after the first exit polls in the German general elections were announced on TV in Berlin. (Ina Fassbender/AFP)
- German’s Friedrich Merz has pledged to achieve “independence” from the United States after his centre-right alliance won parliamentary elections.
- Merz faces complex negotiations with smaller parties to form a government after ruling out cooperation with the second-placed hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
- Merz also took aim at tech…