Angela Merkel is heading for her fourth term as German chancellor after exit polls following Sunday’s election pointed to a clear victory for her conservative Christian Democrat-led alliance.

But while the result will keep Ms Merkel at the heart of European affairs, her win was marred by a stark fall in her party’s vote and a bigger-than-expected success for her nationalist opponents — the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany. The AfD capitalised on Germany’s refugee crisis and will surge into the Bundestag as the first substantial rightwing party since the Nazis.

Ms Merkel put a brave face on the result, saying she had expected “something a bit better” but that her CDU bloc remained “the strongest force” and would lead the next government.