The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the second largest party in parliament after Sunday's election, said Germany's likely next chancellor would be held hostage by left-wing parties that would seek to loosen tough fiscal rules.

Germany's mainstream conservatives have won the country's national election, while a far-right party surged to become the country's second-largest party.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the country's presumptive next chancellor, has again ruled out cooperating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after Sunday's parliamentary election.