Germany's centre-right Christian Democratic Union is set to take the reins of power in Berlin after placing first in snap elections that were dominated by concerns over immigration, the economy and the war in Ukraine. Final results show the CDU/CSU bloc securing 28.5 per cent of the vote. The victory puts conservative chief Friedrich Merz on track to become the country's next chancellor, succeeding outgoing leader Olaf Scholz. Merz said he is aware of the dimension of the tasks he faces, adding