The contenders in Germany’s election are making their final appeals to voters. The opposition leader and front-runner vowed Saturday to revive the stagnant economy and defend Europe’s interests in the face of a confrontational U.

Friedrich Merz, the 69-year-old conservative leader, is in pole-position to become Germany's next chancellor, in a vote closely watched in Europe and the US. He promises to fix most problems in four years - a tall order for Europe's biggest economy and a creaking infrastructure.

Germans vote in a national election on Sunday which is expected to see Friedrich Merz's conservatives regain power and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) score its best ever result as Europe's ailing economic powerhouse lurches rightwards.