Merkel vows to win back right-wing German voters

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she wants to win back the voters who deserted her party for right-wing nationalist AfD.

Mrs Merkel is now set for a fourth term in office, and said she would still talk to the Social Democrats.

They have ruled out another coalition with Mrs Merkel, meaning she may turn to the liberals and Greens. After winning its first parliamentary seats, AfD vowed to fight "an invasion of foreigners" into the country.

"We want a different policy," co-leader Alexander Gauland said following the historic surge.

But splits have already emerged between AfD leaders on the party's direction.

There were surprising scenes at the party's news conference on Monday morning when chairwoman Frauke Petry, the best known AfD politician, announced that she would not be part of the AfD bloc when she joins the Bundestag. Mrs Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU alliance recorded its worst result in almost 70 years.

On Monday the chancellor said she had wished for a better result in general.

UCJ, UNILORIN.