It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Conservative and centre-left parties will present a deal to form a new German government on Wednesday after weeks of negotiations.

Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor of the Social Democratic Party, left, and Friedrich Merz ... File) Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats have approved a deal to join a new coalition government ...

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to secure enough parliamentary votes to become chancellor in a major blow.

although the AfD is not currently in the national government – and remains unlikely to be accepted as a coalition partner by the victorious centre-right CDU – German political parties "are ...