Germans vote in shadow of far-right surge and Trump

Germany is set to hold its parliamentary elections, with the conservative CDU/CSU alliance under Friedrich Merz consistently polling at first place, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at second place, and the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) under Olaf Scholz coming in third. Immigration and the economy are key issues driving the vote. More than 59 million Germans are eligible to vote, with polling stations open from 8am to 6pm.