Such talks often drag on for weeks if not months in Germany, but Merz is in a hurry to reach a deal with Europe's biggest economy facing economic malaise and an upheaval in relations with the U.S.

Friedrich Merz could have one shot at fending off ascending populists and an increasingly hostile U.S., analysts say.

Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the new German ... said after his victory that his top priority is to unify Europe in the face of challenges coming from the United States and Russia.