Transcript of Trump congratulates Germany’s conservative election winners as far-right AfD come second| BBC News

The Conservatives are celebrating in Germany tonight after exit polls put them on course for victory. Friedrich Merz is the man expected to be the next Chancellor. The far-right Party, AFD, looks set to make historic gains, finishing in second place with around 20% of the vote. But the Conservatives' leader has again criticized Elon Musk for intervening in Germany's elections after he backed the far-right party. President Trump has hailed the results as good for Germany. Our Europe editor, Katya Adler, is in Berlin.

Sophie, one thing is clear, as you say, Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU Party, is tipped to be Germany's next Chancellor. But what's less clear is what his governing coalition is going to look like, and that matters, because Germany is a big continental power. From a European perspective, things out there look pretty unpredictable, almost threatening, whether you look at China or Russia, or what's traditionally the key European ally the United States. And as long as Germany is coalition building, it is distracted. Friedrich Merz, though, is in a hurry. He points to Europe's big three and says the leaders of the other two, the United Kingdom and France, are heading to Washington this week by He's right, he said, Germany should be there with him. He wants Germany back on the world stage fast.

With a spring in his step, the man likely to be Germany's next Chancellor, usually pretty dur in his demeanor. Allowed himself a brief beam at the party faithful before getting down to serious business.

Dear friends, the world outside won't wait for us. We need to get our domestic politics right. We need to be more present on the EU and the world's stage. Germany will have a reliable government again.

Let's celebrate now and the hard work begins tomorrow, is what he said. Hugo von der Hetz has dreamt all of his life are becoming Germany's next Chancellor, that he knows the challenges at home and abroad are huge. Germany's economy is so big. It's such a key player in NATO and the EU that success or failure here impacts all of Europe. And Germany is divided.

As Friedrich Merz was speaking inside party headquarters, these protesters outside tried to drown him out. While on the other side of Berlin, the hard-right AFD was smiling through gritted teeth. They wanted us to half our support, but we doubled it, said the party leader. Since World War II, no far-right force has ever had this success in Germany. It'll be frozen out of government, though, considered too extreme by traditional parties here. The AFD says they're wrong. Even without the AFD, coalition building is a tricky business. Bargaining, bartering, even bickering is usual. But voters I met at this Berlin market today said politicians had no time to lose.

We need a new government fast. We are drowning in problems. Money, migration, defense.

I think we need to build a new government quickly because the world feels like a dangerous place right now. Donald Trump, Vladimir But for Putin, Germans worry about the safety and future of their country and of Ukraine. Germany is the second largest donor of military aid to Kyiv after the US, but it's not sure it's ready to send boots on the ground there. Berlin's Brandenburg Gate is a military monument that's come to symbolize peace and unity, neither of which Germany or Europe have right now. This continent is scrambling get its act together. Tonight's results point to stronger leadership from one of its biggest powers. Katya Adler, BBC News, Berlin.