Alternative for Germany appears to be headed for the strongest showing by a far-right party since World War II in Sunday’s national election and is fielding its first candidate to lead the country.

Polls are open across Germany as the world’s third largest economy chooses a new leader to guide it through an era of febrile immigration debates and souring relations with Washington.

Voting started for the general election in Germany on Sunday, which opinion polls suggest will bring a new chancellor and a new governing coalition, CNN reported. Earlier in November, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) fired his finance minister.

German citizens aged 18 and up can vote. At least 59.2 million people in the nation of 84 million are eligible, about 2.3 million of them for the first time. Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Four candidates are bidding to be Germany’s next leader in Sunday’s election.

Germans were voting in a national election on Sunday that is expected to restore power to Friedrich Merz's conservatives, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is forecast to achieve its best result yet in Europe's ailing economic powerhouse.

German are voting for their next parliament and, ultimately, government on Sunday in the country’s snap federal election. The election is expected to feature a high voter turnout. View on euronews

Germans vote in a national election on Sunday which is expected to see Friedrich Merz's conservatives regain power and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) score its best ever result as Europe's ailing economic powerhouse lurches rightwards.

The far-right AfD likely will score its best ever result as Europe's ailing economic powerhouse lurches rightwards. The conservative CDU/CSU bloc is set to win, but will be unlikely to secure a majority.