A first-time voter in Germany says she's enthusiastic about finally having a say about issues she cares about.

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 voters are casting their ballots Sunday in a crucial federal election that could reshape the country's political landscape. With the collapse of the previous coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz,

The center-right opposition is favored to win, while polls point to the strongest result for a far-right party since World War II

This important election has galvanised voters, and campaigning resumed on Saturday evening with a final discussion on national television, the ninth of the month

The contenders in Germany's election made their final appeals to voters Saturday, with opposition leader and front-runner Friedrich Merz vowing to revive the stagnant economy and defend Europe's interests in the face of a confrontational U.