The legislative elections in Germany began today, Sunday, with the conservative party led by Friedrich Merz taking the lead, amid economic challenges and tensions with Washington.

Voting started at 8:00 AM (7:00 GMT) and will continue until 6:00 PM (5:00 GMT) with over 59 million voters.

Polls suggest that Merz is in a strong position to win, while the far-right Alternative for Germany party is making progress, raising concerns about the potential impact of the election on forming the next government.

If a coalition government cannot be formed, new elections may be held.