The country faces weeks or even months of coalition negotiations after no party won a majority

It has been a extraordinary election in Germany, and the result has been keenly awaited around the world to see what new government might emerge in Europe’s largest but ailing economy.

Results show a clear win for the CDU/CSU centre-right alliance, followed by the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) – an anti-Islam party that has advocated “remigration” for migrants as well as German citizens deemed to have integrated poorly – in second place.