Alternative for Germany, a far-right political party under surveillance by intelligence services for suspected extremism, made huge gains in the German general election Sunday, with the center-right Christian Democratic Union likely to lead coalition talks to form the next government.

Germany has voted — and the exit polls show opposition leader Friedrich Merz and his Conservative Party on course for a lackluster victory in Sunday’s election.

The Christian Democratic Union and its allied Christian Social Union secured the largest share of votes in the German federal election, exit polls show.